Above the earth and beneath the clouds

Ceramics, astroturf, speakers, sounds (created by artist)

This surreal installation imagines a garden of strange, otherworldly plants growing in a transitional space where the everyday meets the uncanny. Each element on the artificial grass invites viewers into a sensory landscape layered with sound. Five distinct sounds play simultaneously: four are fragments of memories captured in nature and urban life, from the peaceful sounds of a walk with my dog in Vermont to birds singing from my deck, the soft chime of bells in Washington, D.C., and the rushing flow of water from a hydrant. These sounds create a dissonant yet immersive backdrop, grounding the installation in moments of the familiar.

At the center, the black and white ceramic piece— "Siren"— broadcasts a live scanner feed from the NYPD Special Ops Department. The overlapping sounds create a tension that is both disruptive and meditative, pulling viewers between tranquility and an awareness of the never-ending activity around us.

The piece speaks to the strange beauty found at the intersection of nature and urban landscapes. Through sound and form, Above the Earth and Beneath the Clouds explores how we exist between worlds, surrounded by reminders of the past and our experiences that layer over one another, shaping our perceptions.