Kellie Bornhoft: Touchstone

“The calcium in your teeth originates from primordial crustacean shells that once settled as dust on the seafloor. Over time, Earth subducted this matter and recycled it through aquifers. Springs then transported it to your mother’s tongue, where the calcium became incorporated into your developing bones. Eventually, it will dissolve back into the Earth, carrying with it the memory of your warmth.”

Touchstone invites viewers to consider their own material composition as a blend of geological minerals. In her sculptures, Bornhoft embeds sixteen of the most prevalent minerals found in the human body into large sheets of resin in the same proportions as found in the body. The shapes echo the way geologists slice rock to reveal what lies inside.

In addition to the sculptural elements, the installation features video projections of hand-drawn animations, poetic text, and footage of minerals. A soundscape fills the installation, drawing textural connections between the human body and what was—and what will soon be again—elements of earth.