AZURE is the Latin word for paradise. Visualizing paradise often evokes imagery of nature — a blue sky or a garden. Yet nature is seldom so serene. The contradictory relationship between beauty and danger is exemplified in the Azalea. This delicate flower hides poisonous toxicity. However, it is this dichotomy that ensures the flower’s survival. During my time in Japan, I found myself in the serenity of Ritsurin Garden, contemplating an azalea shrub. Would paradise be so resilient without the juxtaposition of pain and risk? The site specific light sculpture AZURE conceptualizes an unknown paradise, one in perfect harmony with the ferocity of nature.