What do you know about hope?
Theme: fertility, unseen struggle.
There are 19 negative and 3 positive pregnancy tests.
This piece looks at the cycle of hope, loss, and trying again.
“What do you know about hope?”, 2025.
24 pregnancy tests, porcelain, 14 cm. “5 = 3”
Concept
“What Do You Know About Hope?” is a deeply personal and universally resonant ceramic installation exploring the emotional landscape of fertility. This piece speaks to the often invisible journey of those who long for a child—the quiet ritual of trying, waiting, losing, and trying again.
The work is composed of 22 handmade ceramic objects, each representing a home pregnancy test. Of these, 19 are negative, and 3 show a faint positive result. Laid out in two horizontal rows on a dark matte surface, they capture the passing of time—months, maybe years—each object a witness to an emotional high or low.
Symbolism & Emotional Narrative
The repeated form evokes the cyclicality of the experience—hoping, testing, and grieving in private. The negative tests symbolize the weight of disappointment, while the positive ones glimmer faintly with fragile optimism. Their careful placement suggests a chronology—a visual diary where each object holds a memory, a whisper of expectation, and resilience.
This piece invites viewers to step into the reality of those facing infertility or recurrent loss. It is not just about pregnancy; it is about the act of hoping despite heartbreak, and the strength it takes to continue.
Material & Technique
Each test was individually sculpted from porcelain, then high-fired and glazed by hand. The choice of porcelain is deliberate—its fragile yet enduring nature mirrors the emotional tension behind the subject matter. The glaze captures light, echoing the glossy finish of real plastic, yet revealing subtle imperfections, grounding the objects in human touch and vulnerability.
Statement
Fertility struggles are often hidden behind closed doors, yet they shape lives profoundly. This work aims to break the silence, to honor the quiet bravery of those who face each month with hope and fear.
To those who know the meaning behind each of these lines, this piece says: You are seen.
