The Explored Stitch installation

This was my final for The Explored Stitch. The assignment was loosely a call and response to the historical textile we chose from the Design Center and have been working with/about for the past month. My textile was this ridiculous skirt suit made by a 1960s Austrian designer completely from white ribbon that was looped over and over and sewn to itself to create its own plane of fabric. So I took ideas of construction and accumulation as well as the temporary shelter that is a piece of clothing and created a large installation in the hallway to S206. It became a sort of nest/tunnel that you had to walk through to get into the classroom but at first repelled the viewer. The "floor" is the most important part of the piece: I positioned the skeleton ropes so that they would hover slightly above the ground, giving the illusion of tautness. However, because I created a floor of knotless netting, as soon as you step onto the piece your foot hits the ground and it becomes obvious that it's completely safe to walk across (as you can see in the image of Alison walking through the piece). It also forced the participant to step into and out of the piece, as the edge supports were slightly higher than the rest. It was really interesting to watch my classmates and professors pause before hesitantly moving through the piece this morning. Several even asked if they were allowed to walk on it.

The piece was site-specific and it complimented the architecture of the space without looking like it grew there. I wanted it to feel as though someone or something create this "trap" overnight (which is basically what happened: I was up all night installing it and didn't sleep a wink). This is probably my favorite piece from that class and it felt so surreal to finish it.