Abstract artist and theologian, Heidi Staybold, and food artist and chef, Tiberio Simone, came together in this collaborative exhibit to reimagine the Genesis 2–3 narrative of Adam and Eve — a story long used to control women’s bodies, sexuality, and sensuality.
Through immersive visual and edible art, we peeled back layers of mistranslation and cultural distortion to reveal a more accurate and liberating understanding of the original Hebrew text. Together, we rediscoveredna vision of humanity where vulnerability becomes strength, the body is sacred, and beauty replaces shame.
Referencing Genesis 2–3, participants were invited to name their shame by placing words on apples and laying them at the roots of the tree. In exchange, they received a flower from the Tree of Life positioned at the crown of my body—each flower bearing words of restoration, dignity, and truth. Through visual symbolism, the body, and collective participation, the work makes visible the cost of shame while inviting an exchange toward connection, healing, and reclaimed wholeness.
Also, “rooted” in Heidi’s Handmaid’s Tale Resistance Project participation and her ongoing art activism, “Shame, Sham, I know Your Name”, connects ancient text to contemporary struggle, revealing how faith, feminism, and justice intersect in the liberation of all bodies.
This was more than an art show — it was an invitation to conversation, embodiment, and collective healing.
