People, Places, & Things : Cravings | Marcela Cabrera | Sushi Ikura Nigiri

Marcela Cabrera

Sushi Ikura Nigiri

4"x2.5”x 2.5”, glass

Artist Statement

This work is inspired by my own memory and longing to taste this dish. I aimed to create a piece that celebrates its beauty while inviting others to feel the same desire and appreciation that I do.

This fused glass sculpture celebrates Ikura Sushi Nigiri as an object of desire—humble in scale, lavish in sensation, and one of DAHLO’s favorite dishes. Through a range of glass-forming techniques, the work interprets seaweed, hand-shaped rice, salmon roe, lemon, and garnish, capturing the delicate balance between precision and indulgence that defines this iconic Japanese delicacy. Glass is central to this interpretation. Its ability to hold both opaque and transparent qualities mirrors the visual richness of ikura itself, allowing light to move across the surface and activate the form. As the viewer shifts perspective, the sculpture shimmers and transforms in three dimensions, echoing the sensory pull of appetite—instinctive, intimate, and ever-changing.

Presented within People Places & Things: Cravings, this piece explores food not merely as nourishment, but as memory, culture, and personal longing. It honors the universal allure of taste and beauty, inviting viewers to pause, look closely, and savor a moment where desire, craftsmanship, and material converge.

My creative process is both cathartic and explorative, guided by curiosity. I enter imagined, often surreal spaces where judgment falls away, allowing stories from personal experience to unfold. Using a mix of artistic methods, I layer color, imagery, texture, and materials to transform emotion and memory into tangible form. Each piece is a small journey, inviting viewers to feel, reflect, and connect with the hidden landscapes of experience and imagination. My work emerges from a life fueled by curiosity and passion, where each narrative bridges the inner world with shared human experience.