Chimera

Chimera (2025) is a hanging installation that expands the boundaries of the human body. Using wire, natural fiber, and string, the work builds along an arched human spine by stitching together natural forms shaped from reinforced canvas. Some of these forms mimic birds, plants, and marine life, while the spine itself is a simplified version of the human form. The fiber is abaca, an extremely durable plant fiber made in the Philippines.

In line with elements of Kapwa, or the shared sense of self, this work sees humans as going beyond our physical forms: we are connected to the lifeforms around us in complex yet harmonious ways. Despite living as distinct beings, we can still expand ourselves by understanding our lives are not only directly tied to everything else, but that everything else completes the picture of who we are. This installation is the first of its kind and I consider this a pilot piece; I hope to further explore and develop this kind of work and inquiry.