Division, 2023
80 x 105 cm, Mixed Media
Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life, performing essential processes such as metabolism, growth, and reproduction. They are the building blocks of all living organisms, and all life on Earth shares a degree of similarity on the cellular level. The closer and closer we look at things, the less independent everything starts to appear.
All cells consist of a membrane, genetic material, and various organelles responsible for specific functions. These common features indicate a shared blueprint between different kinds of plants and animals.
DNA, the molecule that stores genetic information, follows the same code across all organisms. This, again, signifies a shared foundation across all contrasting species. Human beings share 50% of our DNA with trees; in fact, all life on Earth originated from a common ancestor, believed to have lived billions of years ago.
The shared characteristics and contingent processes involved within organisms highlight the interconnectedness and unity that underlies the complexity and diversity of life on our planet. Although things appear disparate, we truly are all part of the same thing. There is little more that appears to separate us than a ‘membrane’.
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“Whereas division implies separation, diversity implies variety within a whole.”
