This project explores the expansion of inner mental and emotional spaces into the physical world. At its core, it is an attempt to create environments that allow for slowness, reflection, and a reconnection with one’s inner rhythms, particularly in relation to the cyclical nature of the menstrual cycle.
The foundation of this work is built upon the metaphor of a non-Euclidean space: one that does not follow traditional, linear structures, but instead unfolds organically through time and presence. By allowing myself to slow down and turn inward, I began to conceptualize mental space not as static or fixed, but as something that can grow, stretch, and be shaped, just like physical space.
As part of this process, I collected fragmented stones from the end of a riverbed, natural materials shaped by time and force, broken yet holding potential. Each piece was gathered with care and mindfulness. The act of collecting itself became a ritual of deceleration and grounding, a counterpoint to the often relentless pace of daily life.
Back in my studio, I began reassembling these stones, constructing new forms from the shattered pieces. The in-between spaces within and between the stones became symbolic: they represent the mental and emotional spaces needed for reflection and healing. These physical voids are invitations for stillness.
The project takes shape through two sculptural tables:
The first table: holds a carefully structured framework, a constructed form that gives the stones stability and shape. It serves as a metaphor for the inner architecture we build to support ourselves during moments of transition or vulnerability.
The second table: presents the stones more openly, laid out as objects of contemplation. This arrangement becomes a tactile archive of rest, a spatial expression of my inner state during phases of retreat and regeneration.
The second table: presents the stones more openly, laid out as objects of contemplation. This arrangement becomes a tactile archive of rest, a spatial expression of my inner state during phases of retreat and regeneration.
Together, these tables function as a soma extension, a physical translation of my mental and emotional experience into a form that is both visible and shareable. This extension allows others to engage with the work not just intellectually, but somatically, inviting a deeper understanding of the importance of slowing down.
In particular, this project responds to the physiological and emotional needs that arise during certain phases of the menstrual cycle. During these times, the creation of space for rest and deceleration is not just helpful, but necessary. The project affirms the value of honoring these phases, giving form to the invisible, cyclical experiences that often go unnoticed in a productivity-driven culture.
By transforming fragmented natural materials into intentional spatial compositions, this work becomes both a personal process of healing and a communal offering. It invites others to witness and perhaps even inhabit the expanded mental spaces we all need access to, spaces of quiet, softness, and reflection.
