The work NGC 1003 & NGC 0913 frames a dual conversation within the same space. Rooted in the tradition of quilt making, sewing, and crocheting passed down through my Jamaican family, each quilt honors the lives of my grandmother and great aunt. Their birthdates are stitched into the design, followed by the acronym "NGC," which stands for the New General Catalogue—a system used to catalogue deep space objects like galaxies and star clusters.
The geometric patterns in the quilts represent mathematics, a universal tool for understanding both the cosmos and our own existence. In fact, physicist Max Tegmark posits that the universe isn’t just measured by mathematics, but is itself a form of mathematics. By incorporating the idea of the 4th dimension or spacetime, the work connects to a hidden motor that subtly activates the back quilt, creating a gentle movement.
This duality in the piece speaks to both kinetic and potential energies—the forces that shape not only the family structure and our communities, but also our relationship to the cosmos. The movement within the quilts mirrors the dynamic, interconnected systems that govern us, from the personal to the universal.
