Plastic PLA using a 3D pen and monofilament

30"Hx 50"Wx 40"D

2017 December

I lived in a temple in Lamphum, Thailand to practice meditation. During this time, my consciousness went away from my physical element. In that moment, only breathing connected my body and consciousness.
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My works using a 3D pen represent the existence between inanimate elements and living organisms; this divide is obscure. For example, a seed is not regarded as life, yet it contains potential life. Once it sprouts, at some point the seed transitions into a living organism. As the process of living becomes visualized, we consider that it starts to be a life, yet this boundary is unclear. The division between categories of non-life and life appears through the dynamic energy transfer, like the sprouting of a plant. This dynamism is the essence of existence.

To focus on the dynamism energy transfer, like the sprouting of a plant, I use artificial, inanimate materials that transition between liquid and solid. Like the transition from a seed to a sprout, the interval of between solidification and melting embodies the dynamic boundary between emptiness and substance. The repetitive movements of my hands as I draw with this plastic generate a liminal state similar to the practice of meditation. The works in my studio practice represent efforts to respect and appreciate the essence of existence.

photographer: Jennifer Garza-Cuen