Women & Domesticity – what’s your perspective?
A collection of hand embroidered dusters collectively responding to the theme of women and domesticity.
What’s your opinion on the relationship between women and domesticity? Do you love it, loath it, resent it, or embrace it? Is it an out-dated expectation or a predictable reality? What does it mean to you personally?
Vanessa is seeking an answer to this question by asking women to embroider their own views and experiences onto a duster. The response has been amazing and the collection to date features almost 100 pieces. Participation is invited not just from artists but also from anyone who had an opinion. Contributions range from poetic quotes, to resentful statements, to images, to fond memories.
She selected traditional dusters as a metaphor for domesticity because they are mundane (like most domestic tasks), yet visually appealing in their brilliant bright yellow. Strung together like flags, they proclaim a multitude of opinions, stitched with red thread to represent femininity.
The collection has been exhibited numerous times including at the Geffrye Museum during the Home & Art Symposium in May 2015 and at the De La Warr Pavilion on 8th March 2016 for International Women’s Day. Vanessa is always seeking opportunities to exhibit and grow the collection. She often runs participatory workshops to support the display.
Project presented at the Centre of Studies for the Home Symposium on 1st May 2015.
http://www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/news/2015/items/157607.html
Pictures from the International Women’s Day exhibition at the De La Warr Pavilion on Bexhill-on-Sea can be seen here: https://domesticdusters.wordpress.com/2016/03/14/de-la-warr-pavilion-north-stairs-exhibition-highlights/
Object Book Workshop: https://domesticdusters.wordpress.com/2016/08/10/object-book-workshop/
Contributions are always welcome, please get in touch or visit the Women & Domesticity blog for more information.
You could also see footage from the first Pop-Up exhibition here: https://vimeo.com/121189494 and https://vimeo.com/121181698
Vanessa Marr 