Pets, 2020-21, handwoven textiles from cotton, linen, and wool, mylar emergency blanket, mulch, nylon cord, found objects
Installation view of IGNITION at The Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, Montreal. Courtesy of The Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery. Photo: Jean-Michael Seminaro
This work considers the relationship of care and ownership by referencing the act of wrapping trees for winter. The gesture denotes an investment in the well-being of the tree while also categorizing the tree as property. Trees that exist in forests surrounded by other trees generally do not need wrapping to survive, however a tree removed and planted in a residential area might. Ownership of the tree comes with the responsibility to care for it, but also with the choice to neglect it. Hand-woven textiles are used to emphasize care and consideration, while the binding of the objects appears restrictive. Wrapping is a gesture both protective and violent. A base of mulch is used to consider our categorizations of “natural,” and how humans cultivate the natural world to suit our preferences and ideals. Gardens may be sites of reclamation while also exhibiting restriction. We grow our preferred species, while removing those we deem displeasing, taming nature to suit our values. The project considers the restrictions that are often part of care, the standards one must meet in order to receive social services, and the identities one must cultivate to receive respect and dignity.
Pets at Nuit Blanche 2023, Waterfront Hub, Toronto. Handwoven textiles from cotton, linen, and wool, mylar emergency blankets, mulch, nylon string, tarp, found objects
Many thanks to Ioana Dragomir for assistance with this iteration of the work.
Pets, 2020-21, handwoven textiles from cotton, linen, and wool, emergency blanket, mulch, nylon string, found objects
Thanks to Brendan Flanagan for help in realizing the earliest iteration of this work