Genesis of Belonging explores the ways we rebuild ourselves after periods of change.
Inspired by migration, memory and the landscapes that shape us, the series considers belonging not as a destination, but as something formed gradually through experience, connection and time.
The works combine layered topographic markings, stitched freshwater pearls, gold pathways and textured surfaces to create imagined landscapes that sit somewhere between place and memory.
Rather than depicting a specific location, these landscapes reflect the emotional terrain we travel as we find our way forward, rebuild what has been lost, and create a sense of home within ourselves.
ARTWORK PROCESS
Each work begins with layers of paint, texture and mark-making before being slowly built through hand stitching, freshwater pearls and gold leaf.
The stitched pathways represent moments of connection, while the layered surfaces speak to the experiences that shape us over time.
MATERIALS
The materials are chosen as much for what they represent as how they look.
Freshwater pearls are stitched into the surface as symbols of connection and resilience. Gold pathways trace journeys through the landscape, while layered textures build a sense of history and accumulated experience.
Together, these elements create landscapes that feel both familiar and imagined — places shaped as much by memory as geography.
This series is an invitation to reflect on the places, experiences and people that become part of us, and the ways we continue to rebuild, reconnect and belong.
