In this installation, I have crafted a refrigerator, a stove, and a kitchen counter out of cardboard, brown paper, and corrugated plastic. The appliances are placed on a semi-circular path made from dirt, starting with the refrigerator. The fridge houses a monstrous cake with roots and thorned vines growing from the center of the cake, wrapping itself around the sides of the refrigerator, breaking through into the freezer, and finally pushing through to the outside of the fridge, reaching through the dirt to grasp at the stove behind it. The stove houses chia plants growing from a tray at the bottom of the oven, and is baking a tin of muffins on the rack. Starting to grow on this stove is bulbous reindeer moss, but it has not quite engulfed this appliance. However, the final appliance, the counter, is completely overgrown in green moss and houses baking essentials for making the muffins inside the stove. As well, blooming flowers, vegetable plants, and trees are placed on top and around the counter as it is nested in front of a painted green house on the wall. The last stage of the installation is an offering shelf where the viewer is encouraged to take home a plant that I have grown from seed, where they can then care for it and reap the benefits of its vegetables and flowers produced. The focus of this installation is to share with the audience the developmental stages in my life regarding my polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This condition causes tens to hundreds of cysts to grow on the ovaries. These cysts can be hemorrhagic, where they bleed when ruptured, causing immense pain and discomfort in the abdomen and pelvic floor. The cysts can grow to the size of a bracelet bead or even the size of the ovary itself. In my case, mine grew just a millimeter shy of the size of my ovary. When it ruptured, I was sent to the emergency room because of the pain alone. I couldn’t walk without pain for a month after the rupture, and using the restroom was extremely uncomfortable. This was just the most recent incident, as there have been two other visits to the ER before and uncomfortable bursts in between. Sugar, dairy, and stress are the most common triggers for cysts to grow for PCOS. Ironically, my coping mechanism for stress is anything sweet and dairy rich. After the last ER visit, I knew I had to change my habits. I experimented with swapping ingredients for my favorite baking recipes, introducing antioxidant rich foods and cutting down on my sugar and dairy intake. I needed exercise to be fun to make it a routine, so I started to lift weights, go on nature walks, and go bouldering with my partner. Little by little I learned what my body responded to the most, and my partner didn’t have to ask me how my cysts were doing in months. With this installation, the refrigerator represents the addictive hold that sugar had on me and prevented me from living cyst free. The monstrous cake inside claws its way towards the stove, where I am experimenting with finding a way to keep sugar in my life without the pain. The counter is an understanding of my body, and blooms from the efforts and changes I made in my life to better my health and myself as a person. On the ground surrounding these sculptures are plants that I have grown from seeds since the beginning of the semester, and have cared for every single day. I found joy and parallels between caring for a plant and making sure it received the proper amount of light and water it needed to thrive, and reflecting that care back to myself and the choices I make in my life to keep myself from pain and agony. With all of the plants I have left over from this installation, I want to share this same act of care with my audience. After they have experienced my story from start to finish, they can take a piece of me home with them as a reminder to take care of themselves, and care for a seedling that will one day blossom and bear rich food for them to enjoy and flourish. Website: courtneyhammer.comInstagram: @court_ta_torte Published on April 28, 2026