Rae Hull - 3D Art: June 2019

Textiles and Natural Dyes

Project #4

Artist Statement

This installation was inspired by my interest in the relationship between interior and exterior space. I've always been interested in the body's relationship with sculptural objects, whether or not the body has to move in order to fully view the piece, or even if the body can be inside of the art object. With this piece, I was also thinking about gender, perceptions of gender, and what aspects of ourselves we allow the world to see. I chose to dye large-scale cuts of fabric in one indigo bath to achieve a close range of color on both pieces, knowing they would be used for the "walls", which represent the masculine representation that I desire for the world to perceive of me. Throughout my time experimenting with different dyes, I collected a variety of strips and came to realize that if combined together, they could serve as a representation of the interior space that would sit behind or within the exterior. I chose to hang both the indigo-dyed walls and the mixture of dyed pieces because I wanted the viewer to be able to spatially relate their body to a representation of how I understand myself.

Research

Artist: Fransje Gimbrere

Source: https://fransjegimbrere.com/projects/StandingTextiles/StandingTextiles.html

In process photos of experimenting with dyes

Final Images

Textiles and Natural Dyes

Project #3

Artist Statement

This installation was based on the experience of transitioning, which is something that trans individuals go through in order to feel more aligned with who they are. However, it also plays with ideas of religion, rebirth, ascendance, movement, building, and action. This is where the hands tie in to the installation as a central component. I was thinking about all of the creations and actions that hands are capable of and how much we use them for, and I was thinking about the limitations of the body. I wanted to visually communicate a sense of movement not only through color but through the installation space as well, so I decided to have the hands move from the ground up in a reflection of how trans individuals often feel that they are on the other side of what they want before they begin their transition. Ultimately, though, we arrive where we are supposed to be, and the solidified blue hands at the top represent that, as does the hole with red thread descending down, symbolizing that what we are left with is a human experience of flesh and blood.

Research

Artist: Amanda McCavour

Source: http://amandamccavour.com/

Artist: Mac McCusker

Source: https://www.macmccuskerceramics.com/transition-series.html

In process photos of experimenting with dyes

Final Images

Textiles and Natural Dyes

Project #2

Artist Statement

This project was inspired by my first clothing piece, which was centered around the male to female transgender experience, but this one communicates more about the female to male transgender experience. I was interested in creating this shirt as a continuation piece of the initial project because I kept thinking about how our society functions around store-bought, pre-made clothing that is suited for generalized bodies. However, people who don't easily fall within the binary or who have to undergo a medical transition in order to feel connected with the body they inhabit often encounter difficulty with their clothing choices. I chose to spend time dyeing cotton with natural indigo baths to get a nice blue tonality with subtle variations, as the color choices are also very significant in terms of gender representation. After cutting everything to fit the pillow as I did for my initial piece, I used a sewing machine for the sleeves and collar and hand stitched the strip of fabric that would usually hold the buttons onto the shirt. I chose to leave seams showing, threaded ends frayed, and the shirt to exist without buttons, which indicates that there is no way to get in or out of the shirt. This all connects to my personal experience and observations of being trans.

Research

In process photos of experimenting with indigo

Final Images

Textiles and Natural Dyes

Project #1

Artist Statement

This sculpture was centered around ideas involving the male to female transgender experience. I was inspired by a musician named Laura Jane Grace, who is the lead singer of the punk rock band named Against Me!. She also went through her gender transition publicly in an attempt to help others experiencing the same feelings. As most of my ideas revolve around gender, I spent time thinking of how the medium of fabric and textiles might relate to the concept of gender. Clothing is something that most people choose based on their desires for stylistic choices and self expression, which of course, still holds for people who are trans. However, a very common reality is that trans people also choose their clothing very carefully in order to outwardly express their gender identity, to alleviate their gender dysphoria, and often in order to pass as they wish to be seen in public spaces. I was thinking about how clothing is made to fit bodies through generalizing body types and perpetuating stereotypes without regard for people who fall in between or outside of the "simple" binary conception of gender and the bodies that are supposed to fit in boxes. I chose to comment on the intimacy of the individual body by using pillows, which are supposed to provide respite, as the body and support for the dress that made to exist on. I used a naturally created turmeric dye for the yellow pigment, and after cutting out each piece, I used a sewing machine for the seams and hand-stitched the straps on. As was intended, the garment does not fit quite right on the pillow and looks a bit unnatural. This all ties into commentary on what a trans person might experience as the work through their disconnect with their body or with how the world perceives it.

Research