Protective Beauty
approx. 3 yards | woven ground, silkscreen printed, embroidered
The design was initially drawn from the lace-up structure that holds the shin guard together, securing the protection the armor suggests. In the process of working with the design in and out of repeat, I began to see a starry night emerge. The stars and their constellations are often used for navigational or spiritual purposes. For the Japanese Samurai, the constellation of the Plough, or the Big Dipper, served a spiritual means when off at battle. The Plough stood as a marker for a group of seven deities, one for each star in the constellation. Both the stars and the lacing of the shin guard provide various means of protection. These works are meant to explore this structured protection through which beauty emerges.
approx. 3 yards | woven ground, silkscreen printed, embroidered
The design was initially drawn from the lace-up structure that holds the shin guard together, securing the protection the armor suggests. In the process of working with the design in and out of repeat, I began to see a starry night emerge. The stars and their constellations are often used for navigational or spiritual purposes. For the Japanese Samurai, the constellation of the Plough, or the Big Dipper, served a spiritual means when off at battle. The Plough stood as a marker for a group of seven deities, one for each star in the constellation. Both the stars and the lacing of the shin guard provide various means of protection. These works are meant to explore this structured protection through which beauty emerges.
Created for the Designing Traditions Biennial Exhibition at the RISD Museum. The Designing Traditions Biennial showcases contemporary student textile designs alongside Asian textiles and clothing from the Museum’s permanent collection.
