DEPARTURE is a solo show that took place in April 2022 at Aquarium Gallery in New Orleans. DEPARTURE investigates our individual and collective movement through both awakened reality and dreams by playing with the concept of (dis)embodiment– dismantling the physical, spiritual and unconscious self. Flora creates portals allowing for this departure and reunification. DEPARTURE  showcases a movement piece and large scale mixed media pieces that use previously discarded materials– Extracted Polystyrene foam, wood, and cardboard.  When collecting found materials,  Flora noticed that Extracted Polystyrene foam (EPS) was everywhere. It seemed like the most commonly disposed non-recyclable material and the most unfamiliar. What was it actually made out of? In its essence, it is one of the most fabricated, superficial materials used in our day-to-day life. The intentional engagement with Expanded Polystyrene foam is Flora’s entry point in conceptualizing the impact of oil extraction in Louisiana and the starting point for future experimental work involving the material.