Skin Adornment
Wintersession 2015
Since youth I have always been clumsy and have had an unfortunate affinity for self-injury. Over the course of multiple mishaps- falling off my bike, tripping while running, hot glue, bus accident- my legs and knees have accumulated an array of scars. To me, these scars embody the ability of my skin to absorb impact, and serve as markers of resilience, strength and memory. However, to my mother, these wounds are disturbing signs of how I have mistreated the pure body that she gave me. For her my scars evoke feelings of disappointment, unease, and failure.
This piece represents the relationship of my skin between my mother and me. The pants mirror my mother’s view of my legs as something disgusting. By deliberately cutting into the leather and staining the cuts with my own blood, I was able to create an exaggerated, scarred affect. Yet the individual pieces and overall form of the pants are quite elegant, symbolizing how I see my legs. Thus, together our viewpoints culminate in something that walks the line between repulsion and elegance.
