Why Only Women?

When creating this project, I was debating whether or not I wanted to limit my participants and ultimately decided that I would ask exclusively women to participate in this installation. During the past three and a half years, I have been learning about the contemporary art world I will soon be entering and one thing has become clear – it, like so many others, is a male dominated field. One thing that has resonated with me during my education was the Western romanticized ideal of a poor, starving, male painter who is secretly a genius and just needs to be discovered. For many years, this was the preconceived notion of what it meant to be an artist. This is the idea that I intend to challenge through this project. The main reason for that is because I have met so many incredibly intelligent and talented women during my time as a student, not just in the art department. The poor, unrecognized and hungry genius is a flawed representation of an artist and the women that have taught and influenced me are anything but weak.

In my recent work, I have been exploring the use of conventional domestic materials to create art that is intended to be displayed in a museum. These materials include felt, needle and thread, tea and napkins, and, of course, yarn. That is why I have chosen yarn for this project. Yarn is a classically domestic item intended for practicality with a specific function. It also carries the connotation of the home and women caring for others. Through this project, I am redefining that view to become a representation of the strength, diversity and individuality of women. Each piece that is crocheted will be unique to the creator. When they are all displayed together, it will be overwhelming, colorful and powerful. That, in my mind, is a much better representation of contemporary women -artists and non-artists.This piece will highlight the diversity of the female community and repurpose something that is thought of as belonging only in the home.
I hope you will join me in this project!