The sculpture is based on the outline of the spacecraft; each surface of the "satellite" becomes a canvas. Each piece has engraved images of the struggles endured by Psyche: the abandoning in the mountains, the secret life inside Cupid's palace, and finally the elevation. Such a stylistic touch is used intentionally, referring to the classical artistry of the Renaissance woodcut.
The first work represents the metal rubble pile theory with a monochromatic, slate-grey surface reminiscent of the exterior of the moon. A deep “wedge” is removed to reveal an interior made of a cluster of bulbous organic shapes.The second work features a vibrant orange center specifically highlighting the volcanism model, with molten metal center making up the bulk of Psyche’s core.
The first work represents the metal rubble pile theory with a monochromatic, slate-grey surface reminiscent of the exterior of the moon. A deep “wedge” is removed to reveal an interior made of a cluster of bulbous organic shapes.The second work features a vibrant orange center specifically highlighting the volcanism model, with molten metal center making up the bulk of Psyche’s core.
The sculpture is based on the outline of the spacecraft; each surface of the "satellite" becomes a canvas. Each piece has engraved images of the struggles endured by Psyche: the abandoning in the mountains, the secret life inside Cupid's palace, and finally the elevation. Such a stylistic touch is used intentionally, referring to the classical artistry of the Renaissance woodcut.
The sculpture is based on the outline of the spacecraft; each surface of the "satellite" becomes a canvas. Each piece has engraved images of the struggles endured by Psyche: the abandoning in the mountains, the secret life inside Cupid's palace, and finally the elevation. Such a stylistic touch is used intentionally, referring to the classical artistry of the Renaissance woodcut.
The sculpture is based on the outline of the spacecraft; each surface of the "satellite" becomes a canvas. Each piece has engraved images of the struggles endured by Psyche: the abandoning in the mountains, the secret life inside Cupid's palace, and finally the elevation. Such a stylistic touch is used intentionally, referring to the classical artistry of the Renaissance woodcut.
The sculpture is based on the outline of the spacecraft; each surface of the "satellite" becomes a canvas. Each piece has engraved images of the struggles endured by Psyche: the abandoning in the mountains, the secret life inside Cupid's palace, and finally the elevation. Such a stylistic touch is used intentionally, referring to the classical artistry of the Renaissance woodcut.
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The Organs of a Goddess

Minh Nguyen

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Genre/Medium: 3D-Sculpting and Acrylic paint

About the Work:

The work “Organs of a Goddess” features two sculptures representing two different theories for the inside of Psyche. Each sculpture functions as a “biological” cross-section of a planet, using high-contrast textures and colors to represent the different internal planetary layers. The “organs” are revealed through a jagged cutaway. One sculpture specifically highlights the “exposed heart” theory, showing the iron-nickel clusters (represented by the lighter, bulbous forms) that scientists believe make up the bulk of Psyche.

These twin sculptures invite viewers to gaze into the impossible: the theoretical deep, beating heart of a planet. The works, rendered in metallic grey and vibrant orange, draw a direct line between the hidden center of our own planet, Earth, and Psyche.

Asteroid 16 Psyche is a metallic protoplanet drifting through our solar system. Psyche for whom the asteroid is named is often interpreted as an allegory for the soul’s journey towards love and divine union. Psyche, the asteroid, is a celestial survivor. It is the exposed iron-nickle core of an early world that never formed. Stripped of its rocky outer crust by ancient cosmic collisions, Psyche remains frozen in time, offering a rare, naked glimpse into the anatomy of planetary creation.

Why Look Up to Look Down?

A common critique against space exploration: why look to the stars when we have so much to focus on here on Earth? The answer, represented by these sculptures, lies in our physical limitations.

We are blind to the “organs” of our own world. The intense heat and crushing pressure beneath our feet make drilling to the Earth’s center impossible. To understand the heart of our own planet we must look outward. Psyche is a cosmic mirror of Earth’s inaccessible center, conveniently stripped of thousands of miles of rock and suspended in space.

By sending missions to study this shattered protoplanet, we aren’t turning our backs on Earth: we are instead traveling to space to learn about our very own planet. Exploring the cosmos is, ultimately, the most profound way to understand the very ground we stand on.

View the Full Project

Date Added: 04-08-2026
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/Minh Nguyen - Psyche Inspired

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