Concept Note
Under the system that we live in today, the very act of resting without feeling the
need to be productive is in a way an act of resistance. This deconstructed patchwork quilt blanket is created to show the 24 hours in a day that we have, and how it is unattainable and extremely difficult for an individual to carry out tasks like cooking 3 meals a day, cleaning regularly, engaging in fulfilling hobbies, spending time with loved ones, rest and relax, all alongside working, and how our work infiltrates into all other aspects of our life.
Thread is used as a medium here to indicate that we all have a limited capacity for working, which we will eventually run out of, similar to how you will run out of thread in the process of embroidering and stitching.
This blanket intends to raise questions about why we continue to lead this way of life, why are we part of a system that produces cogs in the machine, inadequate wages for the work we do, and why must we slog and compromise on other aspects of our life in the present in hopes of a happy retirement, in an uncertain future.
It aims to question if we are truly fulfilled with this system.
Most importantly, it encourages you to rest.
Process
This outcome was created under a Studio class called "Communication For Change" facilitated by Mahesh Bhatt.
We were required to interview several people on their opinions about the world and changes they would like to see, as well as jot down our own opinions on the same.
The next step was to narrow down this vast area of research into a specific area of focus that resonated with me and to create an intervention that supports this area of focus and all the questions it brings forth.
I started off with creating a digital iteration of what I wished for my outcome to look like. I then used various colours of scrap cotton fabric obtained from nearby tailors as well as fabric stores to stitch together a deconstructed patchwork quilt. Finally, I added cutouts in the layers and further embroidered elements onto it.
