The body is a very emotional subject. We are them yet they are not us. Not entirely. I feel a disconnect between the two, between vessel and self. It’s a very strange feeling and truthfully, I have never given much thought to this before January of 2021, when my body truly began to betray me. I had no say in what they did, only being flung around as something my own but not entirely me attempted to ruin my livelihood. This piece was made in expression of that, a link between body and self. It is a representation of disability and my body, at odds with itself as I explore identity through fabric and movement. These self portraits are also for my own bodily reclamation through art and feel. My disability is invisible, but by putting this cap on and intentionally taking my self portraits in it, I physically and visually claim it as a part of myself.
Process
I experimented with natural dye and used avocados to dye my fabric. It came out organic pink color to replicate that of flesh
I furrowed the fabric and left it to dry on the windowsil.
I stitched the manipulated pieces on to the base of the cap.
I used metallic and primary colored thread to embroider geometric patterns in to the cap. I also left threads hanging down to represent the EEG cords, which I roughly placed in their true position.