ROSIE DING
Origins
Origins
Origins
Origin I
Various plant, algae, microorganism, and rock species
2025
Origin I
Various plant, algae, microorganism, and rock species
2025
Composed of vibrant local flora and geology, Origins I recounts the history, ecology, and culture of its birthplace—Castle Hot Springs, nestled within Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. Through a meditative process of foraging and constructing, the artist gathers materials from the surrounding environment to reimagine the vivid desert palette. This eye—reminiscent of Dalí’s melting clock or Georgia O’Keeffe’s orchids—symbolizes the soul’s journey through time. Strands of emerald algae, like flowing hair, intertwine with their fleshy ivory core, interwoven with the brittle textures of dried wood and the shards of crystalline quartz. In surreal twists and swirls, the portal merges seamlessly with its surroundings, reflecting the dynamic flow of the hydrothermal springs that sustain the abundant life forms inspiring the work. The composition’s duality—combining living organisms such as algae and plant fragments with inorganic sediments—juxtaposes themes of decay and permanence, capturing the transient yet enduring qualities of life.
The Evolution: Morphing Over Time
Day 1, 8:05 am
Day 2, 7:49 am
Day 3, 4:21pm
Origin II
Various desert canyon rocks
2025
Constructed from various colored rocks collected from the surrounding desert terrain, Origins II continues the exploration of history, philosophy, and life’s cyclical nature. Nestled in a cave-like enclosure at the end of a secluded hiking trail—blocked by a massive stone—the piece evokes the mystique of a ritualistic site. Its enchanting presence resides as an enduring tribute to the Castle Creek Canyon and the generations of explorers, caretakers, and occupants of the land.
Origins II is a multifaceted portal—an eye, a womb, and a gateway—through which creation and transformation emerge. The layered arrangement of stones, ranging from deep purples to pale whites and ochres, reflects the geological richness of the Sonoran Desert and mirrors the intricate interplay of decay and regeneration. The shape’s organic form, simultaneously suggestive of an eye and the contours of a vagina, channels universal themes of perception, fertility, and life’s genesis. The raw, unaltered materials reflect the untouched vitality of the land, while the subtle curves and flows within the composition mirror the lava which formed the stones, weaving an elemental narrative of tectonic movement and creation. Carrying the artist’s hope of serving as a delightful discovery for hikers who stumble upon it, Origins II maintains a continuous dialogue with both its natural surroundings and the people who encounter it.
"But today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, forcefully,
Come, you may stand upon my
Back and face your distant destiny,
But seek no haven in my shadow.
I will give you no hiding place down here.
You, created only a little lower than
The angels, have crouched too long in
The bruising darkness
Have lain too long
Face down in ignorance.
Your mouths spilling words
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Armed for slaughter.
The Rock cries out to us today, you may stand upon me,
But do not hide your face."
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—Mary Angelou
"Don’t bother the earth spirit who lives here. She is working on a story. It is the oldest story in the world and it is delicate, changing. If she sees you watching she will invite you in for coffee, give you warm bread, and you will be obligated to stay and listen. But this is no ordinary story. You will have to endure earthquakes, lightning, the deaths of all those you love, the most blinding beauty. It’s a story so compelling you may never want to leave; this is how she traps you. See that stone finger over there? That is the only one who ever escaped." —Joy Harjo
Origins Series
The Origins series was born during my retreat to Arizona's Hieroglyphic Mountains in the winter of 2025. Blanketed by the boundless desert sky, my nights, steeped in the velvet greens and warmth of Castle Hot Springs, became a meditative journey into nature, heritage, and humanity’s relationship with the planet’s ecology.
In the early mornings, I found myself back in the springs’ soothing waters, collecting natural remnants—plants, algae, moss mats, sediments, and branches—to create a “portal of life” on the nearby rock. Millennia of chemical reactions and biological evolution have shaped this land, paving the way for thriving cultures.
The Yavapai Tribe first occupied the area before miners and cowboys discovered it in the 19th century. By the 20th century, the springs had gained renown as a remedial haven, drawing locals and tourists seeking their healing properties.
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In this water filled with memories, stories, and emotions, inspiration blossomed. While I indulged in inward meditations, this unique creative process also urged me to really be present and in tune with the environment. From each contact with the rugged rock and each waft of the dewey moss, I was reassured that every individual material informed an integral aspect of the place’s history and energy.
Castle Hot Springs Rd, Morristown, AZ 85342
Strands of emerald algae outline their ivory meat, interlacing limestones, dried bark, moss, tufa, and everything in between.Strands of emerald algae revealed their ivory cores, interlacing with limestone, dried bark, moss, tufa, and everything in between. The geology and flora offered colors in a dazzling spectrum, ranging from pale pastel purples and reds to deep turquoise hues. This vivid array results from the chemical interactions of various minerals throughout epochs.
Every aspect of this project is rooted in preserving rawness and relinquishing artificial control. The work rests without adhesive, preservative, and intervention. In merely three days, I already witnessed its gradual evolution. Some colors faded, branches were blown away, and I even found several water spiders establishing residency within the infrastructure. Nature began to take its course.
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In time, the colors and textures will only continue to transform, eventually absorbing and morphing into yet another cycle of growth and decay.
