Decadence

“Lingered satisfaction, eroded stability.”

A surface covered with small bubbles and a rectangular object submerged at the top.

First Break

An object captured underwater in a carbonated drink, surrounded by bubbles, with a reddish-brown surface visible in the background.

Refined

Close-up of bubbling blue liquid with a dark object submerged in the center.

So Good

A close-up of a smartphone submerged in a pinkish-red carbonated beverage, with bubbles surrounding it.

Crash

How long can I linger in delight before the weight of it gives way?

Decadence captures the unease beneath pleasure, where desire loops without end, and satisfaction slips just out of reach.

  • Decadence traces the evolution of indulgence, from a quiet compromise to full collapse. Using chocolate as its symbolic anchor, the series unpacks how sweet comforts can shift into spiritual and physical decline when left unchecked.

    In First Break, the form appears mild, even harmless, an entry point into satisfaction. Refined heightens the allure, mirroring how a behavior becomes a habit, then a pattern. So Good! bursts with intensity, craving meets climax, a moment too rich to resist. But then Crash: the sweetness curdles. The body, mind, or spirit buckles under the weight of overindulgence.

    The progression mirrors a chemical truth: sugar, when consumed in excess, inflames the body. But the work moves deeper than biology. Decadence asks what happens when we silence conviction, when we numb the warning signs, and when our pursuit of relief becomes its own source of pain.

    The forms are quiet, submerged in shifting hues, from green to blue to crimson. The palette mirrors a descent, not into chaos, but into stillness so deep it suggests resignation. Like a soul slipping beneath the surface of something once enjoyable.

  • Not every fall begins with rebellion. Sometimes it begins with a reward. With something good and comforting. But unchecked indulgence has a quiet way of reshaping our hearts.

    The more we consume what only satisfies for a moment, the less room we leave for what truly sustains us. What can feel like a treat can quickly become a trap. And over time, conviction can fade into craving, until even God’s voice seems distant.

    But Scripture tells us that God still speaks, even when our hearts grow dull. His desire is not to shame us into change, but to soften what’s hardened. To give us a new heart, and a Spirit that leads us out of cycles and back into communion.

    “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 3:15

    God offers more than just an escape from addiction, He offers restoration. A sweetness that doesn’t rot the soul, but revives it.

    Reflection Question:

    Where have you traded conviction for comfort, and how can you invite God into that place today?

  • Workshops: Art-making on indulgence, boundaries, and decline.

    Therapeutic/Educational: Training on habit formation and restraint; relevant for addressing overindulgence, compulsion, and denial.

    Community Dialogue: Conversations on comfort, excess, and conviction.

    Youth Engagement: Projects exploring choices, self-control, and wellness.

    Wellness Spaces: Guided reflections on relief, regret, and renewal.