“Blueberry Pie”

Alcohol-based Marker on Paper, 6”x6”, Summer 2026

#127: Heretic, 2024

 According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “pie” is rooted in the Latin word “pica”, meaning magpie, the highly intelligent, black and white birds of the Eurasian and North American region. Once referred to as “pies” or “pyes” prior to the 17th century, magpies are theorized to influence the concept of edible pies due to their characteristic of collecting miscellaneous objects for their nest, comparable to the various options of savory or sweet pie filling ingredients. The correlation of magpies and dessert pies is one “iteration” of the culinary pie’s eight-thousand-year history, which ranges from the galette of Ancient Egypt, the Roman “placenta” pastry of 160 BC, sweet pies of the Tudor Era, to the classic apple and blueberry pie of Colonial America.

 In the 2024 film “Heretic”, the subject of “iterations”, religious history, and faith is reflected on with horrifying irony, while also integrating the symbolic aesthetic of American blueberry pie. Blueberry pie (specifically, the scent of blueberry pie), is used as bait, suggesting a sense of safety, comfort, and community within a space that is later revealed to trap the lead protagonists. The symbolism of the blueberry pie evolves from a source of safety and comfort to a poison-laden dish, revealing dreadful conclusions paired with unsavory truths.