Rosaline Dou
Installation dimensions variable
2024
Swallowing embodies the silent pain we often suppress as it travels down our throats.
Swallows create their nests from saliva, a reversed swallowing to constructs a sense of home.
In this participatory experience, I invited individuals to:
(1) Write down swallowed pain on a piece of paper, fold it into an origami swallow, and release into a large swallow installation.
(2) Contribute a sample of saliva into a collecting tube, reflecting on their swallowed pain while spitting out.
The collected saliva was later combined into a communal jar with one folded origami swallow. Over time, the acidity of the saliva gradually softened and unfolded the swallow’s form.