the scent of basil, the sound of sunlight
55 x 60 inches
feather, dried basil cuttings, money tree leaves, dried butterfly pea flower, dried sampaguita, spray paint and acrylic paint on the artist’s studio window curtains
This installation is a tribute to my first forays into gardening and cultivating an artistic practice in the first space of my own. It’s been said that the studio is the artist’s brain. In mine —which is hardly more than a small room— the balcony window is its focal point, the interface between the outside and the inside. Opening and closing the window and drawing the curtains allows me to regulate the movement of light, air, and energy. Caring for the plants on the balcony requires closer attention to the daily shifts in weather, humidity, and exposure. There is a quality of heightened sensitivity created by the demands of sustaining both plant life and an artistic practice. When others come into the studio they often leave things behind —the basil was a gift from a dear friend. Otherwise they leave mementos or memories. Their presence imprints on the space. I wanted to create a work of devotion to my studio, my garden, and my friends with this in mind. Interfacing with these seemingly external things has had a deep impact on my interior life.
