Space-Aid is an examination and reimagining of my childhood memories centered around the consumption of Kool-Aid, an item deeply ingrained in American culture. When I was a kid, Kool-Aid was a small luxury that provided moments of joy. Raised by a single mother, we waited for sales to stock up on my favorite drink mix—ten packets for a dollar at my local Winn-Dixie, a supermarket chain woven into the fabric of the American South. Now as an adult, the scent and taste of Kool-Aid evokes a sense of comfort, yet also serves as a poignant reminder of a time defined by socioeconomic limitations. In contrast, images of the cosmos captured by NASA’s James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes present a realm of unbounded potential and celestial grandeur. In Space-Aid, I aspire to bridge these associations, translating the humble materiality of the powdered mix into vibrant abstractions that echo the vastness of the universe.
