Everything is Breathing But Us

Everything is Breathing But Us is a multisensory installation inspired by the intricate networks of trees and their ecosystems, reflecting the richness and interdependence of natural systems. By integrating scent, material, and spatial form, the work invites audiences to engage with often-overlooked connections between human and more-than-human life.

The piece features a suspended structure of heat-bent bamboo, woven together with sisal twine. Each node contains cotton infused with scent compositions I created using natural plant essences, including tinctures of plants I foraged from New York and Maine. The scent notes—“earth,” “green,” and “solar”—are spatially layered: the lower nodes carry the grounding “earth” note, the middle nodes transition to the vibrant “green” note, and the upper nodes culminate in the radiant “solar” note. This arrangement creates an immersive olfactory experience, inviting exploration and discovery.

The installation transforms dynamically across contexts. Indoors, it invites close sensory engagement, encouraging visitors to explore its woven forms and scent-infused nodes. Outdoors, it interacts with its surroundings: in residential areas, it takes on a quiet, intimate presence under streetlights; in industrial settings, its organic structure contrasts sharply with angular, human-made backdrops, sparking reflection on fragility and adaptation; and in parks, it integrates with surrounding plant life and built elements, fostering a subtle dialogue between natural and constructed environments.

The work was recently featured in The Weight of Words Forming in the Mouth, a group exhibition at the New York Studio School DUMBO Artist Residency. It engaged with wall drawings, paintings, and sound art pieces, offering a tactile and sensory perspective to the show’s exploration of overlapping perceptions.

Everything is Breathing But Us offers a sensory meditation on resilience and fragility. It raises questions about what has been lost and what remains, encouraging audiences to reflect on how these connections shape the world we share.

Medium: bamboo, sisal twine, cotton, and natural plant essences

Featured in The Weight of Words Forming in the Mouth curated by Sarah Valeri, New York Studio School, DUMBO 

Dates: October 15-November 27 2024




Indoor installation view from The Weight of Words Forming in the Mouth at the New York Studio School DUMBO.


The installation in a residential setting at night.


The installation in an industrial context.



The installation in a park setting.



Close-up view of the woven bamboo structure with scent-infused nodes made from sisal twine and cotton.



Studio compositions visually representing the three scent notes: ‘earth’, ‘green’, and ‘solar’.



Handcrafted vials containing the scent compositions for ‘earth,’ ‘green,’ and ‘solar,’ created using natural plant essences, including tinctures of plants I foraged from New York and Maine.