Working Artist Statement
The act of sewing simultaneously mass-produces and individually stitches the threads that bind our exterior identities. Utilizing photography, embroidery, and feminine postures, I hope to explore the modern female’s agency over exterior representation. These pieces carry my residue through application of personal text, image, and labor, creating an explorative and conscious construction of self. If social identity is constructed through the presentation of clothing decisions, then I strive to take representation one step further, adding real bits of my inner identity to the mass produced, making each piece one-of-a-kind and one-like-any-other.
The Work
This was the first piece I did where I felt like I got my point across. The images from here on out are not the work itself, but detail shots of the work. I stitched the names of all the people in my life who had a hand in making me who I am. I wanted to add real bits of my identity to the clothing conveying more of a truth through what I wear.
Black, long sleeved turtle neck
This piece is called the boyfriend t-shirt. I've scripted my relationship history around the collar of the shirt. I plan for this piece to continue as my love life evolves. It's really important for my pieces to weather and change as I do, that was one of the reasons for using clothing initially. The immediacy in connection to the body presented the best canvas for a truly interactive piece.
Blue, v-neck t-shirt
This piece focuses on the image and the character's relationship to clothing. I wanted to convey a skepticism and an irony, commenting about clothing, on clothing.
Blue draw string skirt, knee length
With this shirt called the Little Black Dress, I was playing with the idea of the shifting identity and how the body changes shape based on what it's wearing.
Black t-shirt
Detail shot.
Detail shot #2
In this piece, I was working with the possibilities in layering meaning that happens when I combine the clothing, embroidery and photography into one work.
Size 14 juniors baseball t-shirt
I think that photography and sewing have some interesting parallels. Both processes create collectible objects. And both, at their fundamental level, are seen as things that anybody can do.
And both photography and sewing, in combination and separately, are ways we convey character and self image.
Printed on inkjet fabric
And here I am playing with labels, both literally and physically. I used the available language presented on our clothing to create a new, playful dialogue.
So that is what I accomplished this quarter... along with adjusting to a new city and a new school. I would love to hear feedback.
