Briana Vandivier, Student Work. Response to Touch Chapter, A Natural History of the Senses.

My Space

Balsa wood, masking tape, balloon, sand

8" x 3.5" x 2.5"

“The bubble is our skin. But the skin is also alive, breathing and excreting, shielding us from harmful rays and microbial attack, metabolizing vitamin D, insulating us from heat and cold, repairing itself when necessary, regulating blood flow, acting as a frame for our sense of touch, aiding us in sexual attraction, defining our individuality, holding all the thick red jams and jellies inside us where they belong.”  

- A Natural History of the Senses, Diane Ackerman, p. 67

Statement:

Daily life moves so fast. It is easy to forget to pay attention to mental and physical well being. My piece demonstrates the outside world that our skin protects us from. The balloon represents my own bubble. The balloon contains sand from a beach near my home.