Flourish

Flourish is comprised of wearable objects and videos. I used historic pressing dies for costume jewelry to produce approximately 800 copper flourishes while in residence at the Jakob Bengel Foundation, a German jewelry factory established in 1873. The decorative swoops are constructed into gold-plated sculptures that interact with the body. The decorative swoops are constructed into jewelry that interacts with the body to reference bodily fluids expelled during states of change including repulsion, pain, and joy. Snot bubbles, sweat, tears, vomit. The word flourish has multiple meanings. It describes the ornamental metal components making up the objects. But to flourish also means to thrive, and in this work its use is intended to contrast the bodily fluids hinted at through the objects. The objects are shiny and ornamental like costume jewelry, but the form, vomit, drool, tears, indicate states of distress.