In an unnatural storm a world fertile [...] hope to alter what could not be warm

This monumental suspended sculpture depicts a dome covered in tulle and feathers, like a hot-air balloon to which a profusion of objects—some of them artificial—are attached: a candlestick that lights up, a ‘confidant’, small turned-wood altars, a globe, chiselled glass balls, parasols and fans made of white and grey feathers, and coloquintes… On the ground: a path of seashells, white and coloured glass vials, bottles, and two antelope figurines.

The work draws inspiration from two narratives: *Around the World in 80 Days*, Jules Verne’s novel recounting an English gentleman’s journey round the world, made possible by the transport revolution that characterised the 19th century (railways, steamships) and the legend of the Taj Mahal, the tale of the extraordinary love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and a simple ‘unknown woman’ that led to the construction of this iconic Indian monument, a mausoleum of breathtaking beauty.

The sculpture – suspended between earth and sky – hangs like a chain of objects collected from all over the place, alluding to today’s globalisation. The dome-like structure – a recurring motif in the artist’s work – symbolises this globalisation. The profusion and exuberance of the juxtaposed elements are like so many ‘found’ objects from the four corners of the world, illustrating the notions of travel, novelty and discovery on which she draws to explore cosmopolitanism through consumption. Whilst this abundance takes the form of a Garden of Eden, it also explores the underlying conflicts evoked by the ‘conversation chair’ (or ‘confidant’) suspended from the dome. Although it allows two people to whisper in close physical proximity, their gazes are directed in opposite directions.