By removing fragments of everyday life out of their initial context and selecting, collecting, and transforming such materials, I create metaphors for bodies absent from decision-making processes.
Part of my ongoing Flotation Devices Series, this site-adjustable piece is a ceiling and/or wall-hung assemblage of 5 sewn soft sculptures knotted to a length of twisted nylon and polyester rope. Each buoy is slightly different from the others, all are sewn from parts of a larger image of a human face printed on vinyl billboard fabric and reclaimed to produce these artworks. The buoys are not a series of individual pieces but an inseparable collection.
The title references Joseph Beuys, who developed the theory of social sculpture and also Sabrina’s 1980s hit, Summertime Love. Several years ago, I had the privilege of leading an arts-based research trip on a fishing B.O.A.T. in Brittany. When the boat docked in a harbor at night, we used huge buoys wedged between the hull and the piers to prevent the boat from crashing against the marina as the boat swayed in the night. This visceral reminder that we were not on solid ground stayed with me and I now picture my own buoys working together to absorb the shocks and weight of the world around them.
Buoys Buoys Buoys, 2024, Soft sculpture with printed vinyl and twisted nylon and polyester rope, installation dimensions variable, each element: 10 x 10 x 20 in.