Ghost orchid in the machine
Friday, April 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM · By Cath Virginia

Perfect Lovers II | Photo: Nik Massey Vacuum cleaners, personal massagers, electronic baby rockers, and walking pads: These are the secondhand machines Rachel Youn sources to create their kinetic sculptures. Made with artificial flowers, metal hardware, and these used electronic components, each one possesses a humanlike presence. Slow Burn is made from an artificial orchid, a neck massager, bits of metal that clamp the orchids' petals, and a monitor mount attaching the entire apparatus to a ga…