The collaboration began with the exchange of two perspectives: fabric as a sculptural metaphor for skin or bodies, and tulle as a metaphor for comfort. The fusion of these perspectives offered the imagination of a new space, a space depicting the comfort and sanctuary within the embrace of or inside of a body. This is a concept that is continually expressed in each phase of human life, physically and metaphorically.
We begin consciousness within the womb, comfortably floating in a warm red haze. Voices, predominantly our mother’s, are softened by the flesh that cradles us. As infants and children we cannot develop without being cradled, held, and hugged. We run inside of arms and between breasts for security, reveling in physical contact. When afraid or in play we might imitate the closeness and
sanctuary of the womb by hiding under the blanket. In adolescence we begin the search for sanctuary inside of a lover’s arms, again finding peace and pleasure within the embrace. We long to be inside someone’s heart or in someone’s thoughts as much as we hold people within our heart or thoughts. In times of stress we may close our eyes, trying to generate peace within our own mental space, separated from the outside world.
In the realization of this imaginary space we experimented with a large variety of textures and tones. We used a dip dye technique on the fabric to create organic variation in color that had a stronger correlation to internal organs than the uniformity of factory produced hues. Layers of tulle create an interplay of color and form that at once symbolize membranes and inner working of the body as well as the complexities of the heart and mind which make each individual unique.
No comments:
Post a Comment