SKIN BOND

Category: Apparel

Our skin is the body's first protective layer. It separates us from the outside world while allowing us to live within it. It protects, regulates, filters, and responds to its surroundings. More than a physical barrier, skin is an intelligent living system that breathes, heals, absorbs, and constantly communicates with the environment. I see the skin as a greenhouse for the body—a protective system that creates the conditions necessary for life. A greenhouse is a protective layer, for plants and delicate living organisms. It regulates light, temperature, and humidity, creating a microclimate where life can grow and develop. Like skin, it is a dynamic system that constantly responds to environmental changes. In many ways, the greenhouse functions as an architectural skin, providing plants with the conditions they need to survive. In this project, I explore the greenhouse not only as a physical structure but also as an emotional and material metaphor. The skin becomes the greenhouse of the body, the greenhouse becomes the skin of the plant, and the home becomes the greenhouse of the soul. Although different in form, they all share the same purpose: protecting life while allowing it to grow. My grandparent's home is my personal greenhouse. It is both a physical and emotional place that has always provided me with security, warmth, and a sense of belonging. When I think of their home, I think of its familiar scents, textures, and the layers of time preserved within its walls. It is a living space that carries my family's memories and values, reminding me of who I am and where I come from while allowing me to build new layers of my own identity. My project is strongly inspired by the artist Lotus L. Kang, whose work explores the relationships between body, memory, material, and time. Her greenhouse installations and photographic series Skin investigate how light, objects, and time leave lasting traces on materials. Inspired by her practice, I also explore the greenhouse as a space where growth and decay coexist, while incorporating personal objects from my grandmother's home that represent my family's history, memory, and values.

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