In the Field of Becoming

Multi-layered installation exploring the female body, symbiosis, and transformation.

Inspired by the microbiome and the profound biological changes of pregnancy, the work magnifies microscopic protectors—especially Lactobacillus—into large inflatable forms that visitors can touch and walk through. Interwoven screens display AI-generated visualizations of hormonal rhythms, neural signals, and fetal feedback loops, while a 3D soundscape echoes womb-like murmurs and heartbeats. An AR layer reveals diverse microbial environments before and after pregnancy, which invites audiences to step beyond familiar roles and connect with embodied memory, intimacy, and the shared biological world we live in.

(Client)

W Gallery，Yunan, China

(Year)

2025

(Recognitions)

Details

Our biological bodies are profoundly reprogrammed during pregnancy—from changes in weight, skin tone, and swelling to stretch marks and hair loss. These shifts reveal the body’s astonishing capacity for transformation and its innate mutual kinship, where mother and baby protect and sustain one another. Through the placenta, fetal stem cells can migrate into the mother’s body, supporting the repair of tissues such as the heart. Meanwhile, the mother’s microbiome—especially within the vagina—simplifies into a composition dominated by Lactobacillus species, forming a stable, protective environment for the developing baby and reducing the risks of infection and complications such as preterm birth.

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This immersive installation magnifies these microscopic guardians into large inflatable sculptures that audiences can touch, walk through, and reflect upon.

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Their forms echo the adhesive behavior of Lactobacillus crispatus, clustering and intertwining like breathing organisms. Material contrasts—organic patterns, warm textiles, soft fur, and reflective surfaces—evoke the body’s lactic and fluid environments, giving shape to invisible protective fields.

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Digital screens are interwoven between the sculptures, presenting dynamic AI-collaborated visualizations, including:  – Hormonal and neural signals  – Fetal feedback loops These abstract animations—of brainwaves, hormonal rhythms, genetic material, and microbial dynamics—reveal the chemical symphony of pregnancy. A low-frequency, 3D soundscape composed of womb-like murmurs, watery resonances, and heartbeat tones echoes the sounds modern parents use to soothe newborns.

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An AR layer is mapped onto the installation, allowing audiences to explore a more diverse vaginal microbiome and experience this transformative environment virtually.

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This sensory world invites visitors to step outside familiar roles—mother, leader, daughter—and engage with resonance, embodied memory, and emotional intimacy. It immerses audiences in the symbiotic, protective universe that mothers carry within.

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During the exhibition, I also hosted workshops using the Cone of Becoming, a futuring method developed for this project. Participants reflected on their past experiences (“what made them”) and imagined possible futures (“what womanhood might look like in 2050”). The goal is to create embodied resonance with the hidden intimacies of womanhood—from past to future—and to expand possibilities for collectively shaping preferred female futures.