Solve et Coagula

 Solve et Coagula is the Latin alchemic term that refers to the breaking down of elements and their coming back together. It could be described as a process where the deconstruction of something stimulates the regrowth of itself into a new form. This idea was applied to the broken down, wasted materials and disused, abandoned buildings of a city which both harness this potential to be revived. Reclaimed from the streets, hand-cut pieces of glass and mirror were densely layered creating a multi-faceted surface that distorts, reflects, and reveals. Neighborhood walks around the abandoned Starland Dairy were the inspiration for this piece. Most of the material used was gathered in nearby alleyways. Slivers of glass and mirror were layered to imitate the effect of water cascading through this roofless space.