This brooch is an exploration of time, place, and the residue of human existence. One of its components—a fragment of tile found in the ruins of Pompeii—speaks to the fragility of ancient civilizations and the lasting imprint of their material culture. Similarly, a scrap of asphalt marked with yellow caution paint from a parking lot at Epcot, represents the mundane detritus of contemporary life, the overlooked and the discarded within the urban sprawl of modern capitalism.
Together, these found objects create a dialogue between past and present, drawing a stark parallel between the crumbling infrastructures of ancient cities and the transient, often neglected markers of our own. The brooch becomes a small but potent artifact, suggesting that both ancient ruins and modern debris are equally significant reflections of our relationship to time, place, and the systems that shape our lives. Through these materials, I am reflecting on how the landscape—whether ancient or contemporary—is littered with remnants of human ambition and failure, constantly eroding under the weight of history and capitalism’s ever-changing demands.