Heirloom
“As humans we are weavers. We create stories, relationships, and monuments to our forebears. Heirloom is a monument to mine. The dyed textiles and aluminum mesh intertwine through the trees of my family home, creating a complex structure and fleeting monument to life.”
Decatur, GA. September 2023
"Heirloom" pays homage to past loved ones using a mix of natural and synthetic dye processes, enhanced with aluminum structures and gold embellishments. The draped fabrics are a tapestry of aged blues and greens. The woven-esque materials are akin to family dynamics, influenced by a matriarch no longer present as the weaver.
Originally nestled in the trees of my family home, special for housing generations of my relatives, Heirloom is a site specific installation rooted in familial archival. Decatur GA, much like Atlanta, was historically created to serve as a crossroads for travel and industry in the South East. This uniquely characterizes the city as a region where the paths of many are intertwined, much like the open door policy of my family’s dwellings.
Materials: Metal, paint, textiles, wood, organic dye, restored family heirloom.
Work that exists one way for a time cements it as a personal memento to the artist and its audience. It is an ode to archival in its ability to document the different stages of life. For this reason, I have made intentional strides to allow Heirloom to evolve as it relocated homes. Shown at the &Yet Again, and Again Exhibition by Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA., Heirloom seamlessly integrated into the gallery rooms of the all women’s college. Steeped in it matriarchal inspiration, it was able to maintain its site specificity as an archival exploration for a broader audience: from familial to communal.
Heirloom revisited, February 2024, Dalton Gallery, Agnes Scott College.
