The feminist rebelliousness of textile work is what attracts me to it. Historically, textile art was considered a female-only medium and not treated seriously as fine art. Many women are still expected to work full-time and fulfill societal expectations in today’s culture. To create my pieces, I recycle clothing and bed sheets. These materials are representations of women who typically produce and supply these needs. These are women who manage the household, and serve as the backbone for maintaining social norms while pushing equality.
Many of us believe that because society has advanced, those who endure inequity no longer experience it as harshly. Because of how far we have come, there is now a problem: because the ideal renders the issue invisible, those who stand to gain from patriarchy will try to mislead us. The brilliant colors are a representation of women’s passion, energy, and labor, while the black and white surroundings reflect societal norms and ideals that aim to confine us. The title “Pushy” refers to phrases that are used against women who are assertive in expressing their ideas and opinions, words that are intended to chastise women for behavior that is acceptable from men.
