Komboloi (worry beads)

Worry beads—a cross-cultural object used to calm anxiety—made of ice formed from local water sites embody the fragility of our planet. Merging climate data with experimental film and animation techniques, the film explores anxiety in the era of climate change.

Krista Leigh Steinke, Meg Cook, Courtney Starrett, United States, 2025, 7 min, in English

About the Artist

Krista Leigh Steinke is a lens-based artist and filmmaker known for her experimental approach to photo media. Her work draws from art and photographic history, science, current events, the female perspective, and individual experience to explore how the physical, social, and personal intertwine.

Meg Cook is a multidisciplinary artist and stop motion animator. Through the creation of animations, soft sculptures, and illustrations, she explores the paradoxical relationships that exist within the aesthetics of cuteness.

Courtney Starrett is an artist working at the intersection of art, craft, and technology. With Susan Reiser, Starrett coined the term “data materialization” to describe a subgenre of data art which utilizes data to connect concepts through form and material.