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(Becoming Blue)
Embroidery on fabric
Digitized
2023

Membiru (Turning Blue) is a fictional story of a forest spirit mourning the loss of its once-thriving habitat, now ravaged by human exploitation. This artwork is a poignant meditation on environmental degradation, exploring the overlooked impact of human activity on non-human lives—spirits, animals, and ecosystems—whose presence has faded into silence as their homes are destroyed.

The body of the spirit was turning blue, embodying their sorrow and the once-vibrant life of the forest, now turning cold and distant. These projections mirror the gradual fading of the spirit’s world, offering a visual metaphor for the collapse of ecosystems.

'Membiru' not only embodies the melancholia of a spirit losing its home but also critiques humanity’s tendency to perceive nature’s destruction as distant, abstract, and inconsequential. The forest, in the artwork, is not merely a resource for human exploitation but a living, breathing entity whose non-human inhabitants—whether spiritual, animal, or plant—suffer. The spirit’s blue hue becomes a universal symbol of mourning, urging viewers to reflect on the broader, often invisible consequences of environmental damage.

This work invites contemplation on the interconnectedness of all life, human and non-human, and how the destruction of one part of the ecosystem inevitably reverberates through the whole. In this piece, the spirit’s sadness is not just personal but collective, reflecting the unspoken grief of the forests, rivers, and creatures that are steadily disappearing. This work challenges us to see beyond our immediate surroundings, to recognize the silent suffering of non-human lives and acknowledge how humanity has taken for granted the harmony and life that once flourished in nature.

Ultimately, "Membiru" is both a lament and a call to action—a reminder of the fragility of our nature and the spiritual, ecological, and emotional void left in the wake of its destruction. Through this work, I am thinking and questioning how we might begin to repair not only the physical landscape but also the spiritual and emotional bonds that tie us to the more-than-human world.