Protean Constructs
Created during my residency at the Space Program San Francisco, Protean Construct is a series of paintings that interprets the language of structural biology through visual abstraction. The work draws on scientific models of protein folding, specifically those used in vaccine research and the study of disease. These forms are reimagined as sweeping, rhythmic structures composed of layered color and spatial logic.
Each painting operates as both image and system. The compositions are built from biological data yet push into the realm of aesthetic invention. Color groupings identify shared protein traits, while shifts in scale and density convey distinctions tied to mutation, function, or binding interaction. The visual fields invite viewers into an environment where structure and meaning are deeply intertwined.
This series emerges at a moment when public confidence in science has been shaken. In response, Protean Construct affirms the capacity of art to interpret complex knowledge and to create new forms of legibility. The work encourages close observation and sustained inquiry, aligning with a belief that artistic practice can serve as a form of research and cultural translation.
Through this body of work, I aim to highlight the beauty and necessity of molecular precision while also prompting reflection on the broader systems, biological, civic, and cultural, that shape our shared world.