Feminist perspectives on needlecrafts differ and often contradict in ways parallel to societal expectations put on women; their lifestyles, needs and desires. Both are of a contradictory nature, from one perspective embracing female desires and the arts of needlecrafts but from the other condemning both for their associations and societal contexts surrounding putting women in subservient and domesticated roles.
The sculpture ‘Untitled’ is a creative expression on relevant personal experiences linked directly to the subject matter and surrounding stigmas. Part of it being copying my own bodily form as the base for the sculpture and incorporating elements in embroidery design traditional to my origin and culture on a hand produced knitted fabric.
Needlecrafts are used to embrace the contradictions of the historical role they played in the feminist movement, putting it at the forefront of the project. It encompasses the theme of femininity and today’s views of women’s “should’s” and “should not’s” according to standards altogether designed impossible to achieve and always compared to their male counterparts.
Contradictions are at the very core of the work, being displayed through media, forms, textures, patterns, shapes, context and meaning. Furthermore, each element of the sculpture is put in a state where sense of direction disappears and one cannot tell whether things are beginning or ending, expanding or shrinking, growing or dying, perhaps all of the above. Through its true to life size and display, the sculpture aims to confuse the viewer with its contradictory features, making them question its subject and motives, as well as the technique and role of needlecrafts in the arts.
Originally from Poland, I am an aspiring London based artist/curator primarily focused on needlecarfts and sculpture. ‘Untitled’ is a project heavily relying on both influenced by the niche practices I’m exploring.