White Flower Under Rocks

This work conveys the impression of tension within reproductive biology through the motif of a flower, synonymous with feminine biology, and the weighty presence of a stone. The spirals can be interpreted as either a downward, consuming, or outwards, growing pattern of thought and change in reference to Louise Bourgeois illustrations.

Emme’s painting, created for the Art and Reproductive Biology Colloquium class, was created in collaboration with Victoria Houser - studying literature and reproductive justice - and Cristine Donham - a scholar in the intersectionalities of biology education. This painting draws from a legacy of feminine imagery including Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party and Georgia O’Keeffe’s practice of abstraction through careful observation.