Flower Alter for The Daughters of Darkness, Daughters of Memory, Daughters of Light Exhibition began with walks through cemeteries, where I collected stray flowers along the way. Throughout history, flowers have served not only to comfort the grieving but also to facilitate the spiritual journey of the deceased. Marigolds, for example, are cherished for their ability to guide souls from their burial grounds to their family homes, while the Blue Lotus, often found in ancient Egyptian tombs, symbolizes rebirth. The white lily represents the innocence restored to the departed soul. These small death bouquets were immediately transformed into lumen prints and rephotographed as Polaroids. I then draped the emulsion over selenite crystal plates. The use of multiple photographic processes reflects the layered spiritual journey a soul undertakes in the afterlife, as well as the complexities inherent in the grieving process. I collaged the finished crystals together on a wooden alter in a way that mimicked the movement of fallen flower petals in nature. What began as simple flora evolved into individual beings, each with its own distinct past and divergent future in death. These flowers became metaphors for the living, the dead, and the spaces of letting go in between.
