My project was born out of a simple everyday observation The repotting of the plants ended in failure; they got sick. I had two options: watch them and wait for them to recover, or cut off the healthiest parts—subjecting them to extreme stress—but saving them The metaphor of separating the diseased roots from the green tops unexpectedly and precisely captured the trauma I was experiencing—cutting off contact in order to preserve myself I used the still-life form, incorporating the theme of gardening and referencing the initial experience that triggered a chain of thought, while the mixed media added another layer to the narrative Conceptually, I divided the resulting materials into three chapters—or processes: We are born with a certain predisposition, shaping ourselves in response to our environment—“formation” then we encounter the world, trying simultaneously to merge with it and separate ourselves from it—“the rupture” and afterward, if we still have the strength, we cast off the diseased roots and seek new footholds—“the way out”