‘Forces of Fate 3’, 2026
Acrylic on canvas, 60 x 60 cm

Inspired by Dr. Laura Rustarazo-Calvo’s PhD research in Dr. Nicoletta Petridou’s lab, this piece represents a zebrafish embryonic explant. The circular tissue is organized around a central lumen, forming a structure reminiscent of both a biological specimen and a self-contained universe. The color scheme consists of ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, deep cadmium red, and ivory. The surrounding field is a blend of dark blues and grays that frames the tissue and intensifies the sense of tension around it. A diagonal division traverses the composition, separating the explant into two interconnected yet distinct territories. This visual partition symbolizes the separation of two physical parameters: α, the relative surface tension, and φ, the fraction of the tissue occupied by cells. Rather than functioning as fixed scientific symbols, these signs hang as latent presences within the central cavity, hinting at the invisible forces governing tissue organization and morphogenesis. Their presence also subtly evokes Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end—reinforcing the idea of the explant as a self-contained universe. The two visual halves of the explant show different colors: in the upper left, yellow and blue-violet cells; in the lower right, orange and rosy-violet cells. The yellow and orange cells are characterized by nuclei surrounded by radiating, filament-like patterns that recall floral forms, eyelashes, and the radiating motifs found in Australian Aboriginal art. Violet cells, with their smoother appearance, interrupt this texture in both halves, introducing a contrasting visual state. Together, these forms generate a dynamic landscape in which biological specificity and symbolic interpretation intertwine. The lumen is a zone of relative calm at the center. While the surrounding cells vibrate with color, texture, and density, the cavity becomes a place of suspension, inviting contemplation of the relationship between α and φ. Dark chromatic currents radiate outward from the explant into the background, and subtle blue bubbles dispersed toward the periphery evoke tension, separation, and the generation of form. In Forces of Fate 3, the emergence of form is linked to separation rather than union. The decoupling of α and φ becomes a generative event, transforming abstract physical parameters into a metaphor for biological fate. The work invites reflection on how living structures arise from the interplay of often invisible forces fundamental to the organization of life