sentient / salt

during my residency in 2024 at the schmiede hallein, i researched the geological history of the salt mines in the region, exploring the dissolution of rigid human taxonomies by contrasting geological processes with my human trajectory. the metaphor of becoming a salt dyke, a geological formation of salt growing into fractures under tectonic forces, reflects my sense of fluid, non-static existence (mirroring the behavior of rocks and minerals under pressure) while playing with the multiple meanings of the word dyke. by embodying the salt dyke, i blur the lines between living and non-living, human and mineral. salt’s malleability reflects my own transformation, resisting categories that attempt to define me.

through deep time and chaos theory, i emphasize the continuous, non-linear processes shaping geological formations and human existence. entering the mine transcends human boundaries—sexual and geographical—aligning with the earth’s slow, patient flow, rejecting taxonomies and embracing an inseparable mineral existence.

see here the documentation by the schmiede hallein: docu

the installation consisted in a collection of research objects, rocks, books, sketchbooks, and a video projected on a pool of salt brought from the hallein mines.

this research was done in collaboration with Julie-Michèle Morin, who also edited the video, and Maria Contreras, who supported in the construction of the installation and in the documentation of the piece: Marias video

pictures by schmiede Hallein