To Wrap Our Love

2019
Sakiori Obi (made from shredded, leftover cloth), Japanese hemp kaya (mosquito netting), early 20th c. American quilt segment, 20th-c. Kuba cloth from Democratic Republic of Congo, 19th and 20th-century American cloth and Japanese furoshiki, vintage thread.

Private collection

This work has Japanese, American, and Congolese components, all of which were hand-made for the purpose of clothing or protecting loved ones. The surface stitching that unites them leads me to understand the textiles in a new way, following the stitching patterns and methods of their makers. I am aware that my deep appreciation of these handmade textiles might alternatively be seen as appropriation. I attempt to honor the makers and present old, damaged, and beautiful cloth in new contexts that might help us to see and appreciate them in new ways.