Is It Not Enough (To Be Soft)?
This piece asks a question that is meant to be both self-reflexive and a sincere plea to the viewer. Is it not enough to be soft? In a hyper- or post- capitalist (depending on who you ask) landscape the question of what is enough is inescapable, there always seems to be an imperative to be fitter, thinner, more productive, more critical, more cynical, just more at all times. The labour intensive process of embroidery allows time for reflection on the question of how we define worth and what the value of softness is – of soft touches, soft bellies, and soft words. The piece could be looked at as an object - a fancy cushion perhaps - but certain elements could also take on a living or human quality, the gold bead fringe are cilia that move an organism or the villi that absorb nutrients in the small intestine. The soft indents in the fabric are like that of a belly button or a yeasty rising dough. The twisting beadwork on the surface are roots, veins, or a helix in a strand of DNA. The question the piece asks belies a self consciousness that indicates it has a life beyond its purpose as an object, it questions the viewer about whether it is enough on its own, whether it is enough to simply exist.