Scarring is an act of healing. My work explores both physical and emotional scarring and challenges how it is typically presented. This is done by bringing scarring to the forefront allowing it to be the focal point rather than something hidden away. The scars I am exploring relate to women’s issues and represent literal scarring such as cesarean section and mastectomy scars as well as emotional scarring. I have chosen to address this project by using methods which are typically associated with “women’s work”.
By using the methods of production typically ascribed to women such as crochet, sewing, and embroidery I am recreating scarring by layering fibrous materials to mimic the layers of human skin with yarn, wool, and thread acting as scars and other ‘imperfections’. The fabric has been dyed to match the various tones found in human skin and layered to provide a translucent effect. The use of these materials is designed to appear soft and begs to be touched, which of course it cannot, this is a nod to the issues of consent women experience in both public and private. The works also bring with them a sense of discomfort as what was hidden becomes not only exposed but becomes the primary focus.
By using the methods of production typically ascribed to women such as crochet, sewing, and embroidery I am recreating scarring by layering fibrous materials to mimic the layers of human skin with yarn, wool, and thread acting as scars and other ‘imperfections’. The fabric has been dyed to match the various tones found in human skin and layered to provide a translucent effect. The use of these materials is designed to appear soft and begs to be touched, which of course it cannot, this is a nod to the issues of consent women experience in both public and private. The works also bring with them a sense of discomfort as what was hidden becomes not only exposed but becomes the primary focus.
