The Womb Garden – an art–science collaboration with Cambridge Reproduction, University of Cambridge.
Kelly Zou
This piece envisions pregnancy as a “womb garden,” where immune cells take on distinct roles in nurturing and protecting life. Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells appear as both gardeners and fighters, cultivating a safe environment while warding off intruders. Maternal macrophages PAMM1a and PAMM1b rest outside the placenta, vigilant and protective. Hofbauer cells (HBC) dwell within the villi, sustaining growth, while T cells maintain equilibrium across the system. Inspired by the branching, tree-like structure of the placenta, the work is created with rice paper collaged and mounted on fabric, giving a layered effect that mirrors the fragile balance of life.
My motivation is rooted in my interest in science and the possibilities that emerge when different subjects intersect. As an artist, I often explore memory, place, and emotional landscapes, but I am equally drawn to the unseen processes of the body. The maternal–fetal interface felt like a natural extension of my practice: an invisible yet vital site where life is negotiated. Learning that the immune system, usually thought of as defensive, instead plays a nurturing role in early pregnancy struck me as profoundly poetic. It was as if the body cultivates its own garden, where balance is essential for growth.
Working with my scientist collaborator gave depth to this idea. Through our conversations, I discovered how immune cells perform distinct and sometimes surprising roles. I also gained knowledge that I would never have had access to without this collaboration. The simplified functions my collaborator provided were invaluable; they directly shaped how the cells appear in my piece and how I imagined their interactions.
Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells especially inspired me. I visualised them as both gardeners and fighters, cultivating the environment for implantation while also defending against microbial threats. Maternal macrophages PAMM1a and PAMM1b became figures lying just outside the placenta, protective and watchful. Hofbauer cells (HBC) emerged as caretakers within the villi, sustaining growth from within, while T cells took the role of regulators, ensuring balance across the system. These distinctions allowed me to treat the cells almost like characters, each with their own posture and purpose.
I enjoyed most the conversations when we brainstormed together, turning complex immunology into imagery that could resonate with wider audiences. The moment we connected science to metaphor felt transformative — suddenly, what seemed abstract became tangible. The tree-like structure of the placental villi, for example, naturally aligned with my own artistic language of landscapes, while the cells themselves became narrative figures within that environment.
In making the work, I used rice paper collaged and mounted on fabric to create a unique layered effect. This choice echoed the idea of overlapping processes in pregnancy — fragility and strength, concealment and revelation — and gave the piece a physical depth that mirrored its conceptual one.
This approach also connected with my interest in graphic narrative. I came to see the artwork not only as a drawing, but also as a story told through characters, gestures, and relationships. The immune cells are not anonymous shapes but living presences in a visual narrative — a womb garden populated by guardians, caretakers, and regulators.
This project has expanded both my artistic practice and my appreciation of biology. It reminded me that balance, care, and coexistence are as vital in interdisciplinary collaboration as they are in pregnancy itself.