'Sweetbitter' and 'Unfolding' explore experiences of love, desire, growth and joy, through abstract glass vessels reminiscent of vases, flowers, and germinating seeds. Organic shapes in bubbled glass attempt to capture the movement of the glass in its molten form, and the emotive tension of the glass blowing processes. Both works consider the artist's evolving relationship to desire and love, following those experiences feeling inaccessible and uncomfortable during her youth.
Drawing on the theory of Queer Temporality, 'Sweetbitter' reckons with the emotional impact of having authentic experiences later in life. The work celebrates queer joy, personal experiences freed from their past discomfort, while also acknowledging the grief of missing out on these formative experiences earlier on.
Recalling how our past experiences are carried with us and shape our present, 'Unfolding' utilises the material quality of glass having memory of its previous forms, to comment on how past understandings of ourselves stay with us even when we know they to no longer but true or relevant. While 'Sweetbitter' considers the artist's current experiences, 'Unfolding' traces the journey of unlearning and relearning to get to this point; the multiple vessels speak to a queer coming of age that continues beyond realising one's identity.
