Aspis

Aspis is the Greek word for aspens and means shield. Aspen trees for many ancient cultures were a symbol of protection and transformation. I hung these branches in a way that a nook or sort of altar was formed, a symbolic end to the pilgrimage through this entire body of work. I connected the branches hung to look like roots with crocheted paper-covered wire dipped in abaca. The repetitive movements used in crocheting creates a meditative rhythm that is soothing to both the body and the mind. This craft and natural world material builds a space for you to meditate before you leave back to the real world. The Greeks believed that if you wore a crown of aspen leaves you could travel to the underworld and safely return, and I similarly wanted to use this symbolically in my installation. Many of the different elements in my show are things found underground, such as the Mycelium networks, the filtering of groundwater, and the root systems of the aspen trees hanging, therefore the paper aspen leaves are a subtle gift to the viewer, a hope that they return to their lives outside of this installation safely. This piece is part of the MFA exhibition "Woven Worlds".