Bring It To Me
*Warning* personal content that addresses childhood experiences including abuse
While experimenting with biomaterial and symbiotic processes, I found SCOBY to be an interesting material that both allowed me to participate and observe. During my initial introduction to the medium, I was exploring 'non-making' unless it involved collaboration. SCOBY was a natural choice for me as I grew up fermenting, canning, and growing food. While on this journey, I started researching my family history.
For most of my life, I have had a tattered relationship with my mom. I resented her for the choices she made and couldn’t understand why she continued to make decisions that were clearly hurting me or our family (like choosing abusive partners). While researching my family, I noticed a pattern of multiple generations with diminished mother-daughter relationships.
For most of my life, I have had a tattered relationship with my mom. I resented her for the choices she made and couldn’t understand why she continued to make decisions that were clearly hurting me or our family (like choosing abusive partners). While researching my family, I noticed a pattern of multiple generations with diminished mother-daughter relationships.
In the last few years, communication with my mother has been more consistent. It feels like we are finally building a healthy relationship. (Yay!)
Through this installation, I reflect on my relationship with my mother. Included are images of us when I was a kid, letters from my mom (a story about my name, a birthday letter story about my childhood), parts of my poetry, ‘Bring it to me’ text cut from the SCOBY, barley seeds from a neighbor’s farm, wheatgrass plant in a glass jar (with googly eyes on the side), spearmint, yellow flower, polaroid from a perspective looking up at the sky under a tree, strip of holographic vinyl paper, and roots from native iris plants.
Through this installation, I reflect on my relationship with my mother. Included are images of us when I was a kid, letters from my mom (a story about my name, a birthday letter story about my childhood), parts of my poetry, ‘Bring it to me’ text cut from the SCOBY, barley seeds from a neighbor’s farm, wheatgrass plant in a glass jar (with googly eyes on the side), spearmint, yellow flower, polaroid from a perspective looking up at the sky under a tree, strip of holographic vinyl paper, and roots from native iris plants.
The original SCOBY is called the Mother and the new layer it grows is called the child. SCOBY is fed with organic sweet black tea. A healthy SCOBY will generate new babies. The layer that I cut into will heal itself and grow a new layer on top (baby/child). New layers will only grow if the mother is kept healthy (environment, nutrition, safety).
In this semi-alter setting, I offer gifts to my mother. I felt shitty about resenting her decisions and as an adult, I have a better understanding of the choices she made. I don’t want to feel shame around this anymore, so I want to find new ways to celebrate this connection. As a way of reflecting on our past relationship and hoping it will grow into a new, healthier relationship.
In this semi-alter setting, I offer gifts to my mother. I felt shitty about resenting her decisions and as an adult, I have a better understanding of the choices she made. I don’t want to feel shame around this anymore, so I want to find new ways to celebrate this connection. As a way of reflecting on our past relationship and hoping it will grow into a new, healthier relationship.