Dominus Obsequious Sororium is a sculptural meditation on power, corruption, and the insidious allure of devotion. At its core, the work draws from the NXIVM cult’s disturbing rituals, using symbolic forms and decaying matter to confront the viewer with a haunting visual allegory.

The piece features a pyramid of oranges, their once-vibrant surfaces marred by the seared imprint of a sigil—a brand inflicted upon female members of the cult. From certain angles, the scarring reveals the hidden initials of its leader, Keith Raniere, and actress Allison Mack, a high-ranking member. This dual-layered symbolism mirrors the cult’s deceptive facade: what appeared as self-empowerment concealed a sinister hierarchy of control and abuse.

The pyramid—a classical symbol of power and divine ascent—becomes corrupted in this context, its rigid form echoing the cult's tiered structure of dominance. The rotting fruit, flecked with mold, evokes the inevitable putrefaction of innocence within such a system. The once-lustrous oranges, symbolic of abundance and vitality, transform into vessels of decay, emblematic of the poisoned promises that ensnared NXIVM’s followers.

Beneath the surface lies the motif of forbidden fruit, a biblical allusion to temptation and transgression. Like Eve's bite, the members’ initiation into DOS marked a loss of innocence—a coerced act masked as empowerment. The oranges, marred by their sacrilegious branding, become relics of betrayal, their decay mirroring the corruption of trust and the slow collapse of the cult's fabricated utopia.

Through this piece, the visual language of branding takes on a dual meaning: both a literal searing of flesh and a metaphor for psychological ownership. The oranges bear the mark of subjugation, their disfigurement a permanent record of submission. The mold creeping across their skin echoes the festering consequences of coercion, corruption, and blind allegiance.

Dominus Obsequious Sororium is not merely a reflection on the NXIVM cult—it is a broader commentary on the fragility of free will, the deceptive seduction of power structures, and the spiritual rot that festers beneath the surface of blind devotion.