We look towards the stars and imagine a universe without end. Yet when we look inward, even the smallest parts of life reveal worlds of their own. Cellverse invites us into one of those worlds: the living universe within a cell.

As we move closer, the shapes begin to reveal their work. The purple nucleus holds the cell’s genetic instructions. Around it, the blue folds of the endoplasmic reticulum help make and process proteins. Colourful lysosomes break down and recycle materials, while green peroxisomes carry out chemical reactions, including some that help manage harmful substances. The orange mitochondria help turn nutrients into energy the cell can use. In this painting, I imagined them as suns, with the yellow points of reactive oxygen species—ROS—shining around them. ROS can form in several parts of a cell. They are involved in chemical exchanges that help cells send signals and respond to change, although too much can also cause damage.

To me, Cellverse is a reminder that life is never still, even where we cannot see it. Inside each cell, different structures depend on one another, and balance is continually being made and remade. Looking closely at this hidden activity gives me the same sense of wonder as looking up at the night sky.

Artwork size (unframed): 21 × 29.7 cm (A4). Acrylic on Clairefontaine 250g noir paper.