I move forward from this art piece with a mould of my naked body, from the stomach to lip, as well as silver painted moulds of my hands. The torso mould has one breast covered while the other is exposed and my thumb placed on my lower lip. This contrast shows strength and vulnerability, strength through vulnerability and strength and power within this self-chosen submission. After creating this mould, it broke. After looking at and fixing the cracks, I painted over them with gold paint, showing the beauty and power in being “broken”.
The clay moulds of my hands show the negative space within the hand, allowing one to see what is missing rather than what is there. They show the imprints that unwarranted hands can make, leaving marks that will often never go. They are purposefully painted silver, symbolising how womxn and femme-bodied people are treated and viewed as secondary citizens, never as important or valid as those who are masculine-presenting.

I move forward from this project by looking at the complexities of hands, in this same specific context of gender-based violence. Through this, I aim to create the concept and object of hands as a form of destruction and violence but also as an important artistic tool for creation and rebirth. For this to have an impact and not just be the simple drawing of hands, I have decided to be somewhat obsessive in drawing, moulding and embroidering an uncomfortable amount of hands.

The hands are drawn on the pages of the book “Men Who Loved Me” by Felice Picano. I think that the use of this specific book not only creates a new aesthetic element but also adds to the overall concept of sexual assault and gender-based violence (femicide). The use of this book in this particular way looks at and challenges the ideas of love, sex and assault and how these things are so often unintentionally blended.

The patterned embroidered hands on the two white panels are created to bring light to this blend of opposites. The top panel of fists helps one to visualise empowerment. The contrast between the white background and black thread show harsh strength, along with this shape being well known as a potent symbol for black power which directly links to the topic of intersectional feminism. The white panel below uses a light pink thread and presents a more submissive motion than that above. This shows and links the femininity of the colours and pose to the feminine history of the medium of embroidery. The tie, which was initially three thin panels and then one long embroidery panel, exhibits the masculine energy that is within this project. The blue and magenta tones are both contrasting and easily blended.

Unspoken and Forgotten