The piece explores the origins of the cane weaving pattern, of which nostalgically and naively I understood to be authentically Caribbean. As I further researched this craft design, I found ties to Egyptian catacombs, India’s indigo farms, and colonial England. The contested origins of this design has parallels to how identity is constructed , claimed, and appropriated, suggesting an inevitable dismantling of authenticity. The piece is a self portrait and a result of how auto-ethnographic archiving and research can merge.
Eight (80x10 inch) double sided collages comprised of denim worn over 15 years, various collected textiles, indigo dyed linen, grommets, suspended with found bungee cord.
Produced and installed at Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, April 2020.
Photo by Colin Conces
Photo by Colin Conces
Photo by Colin Conces
Photo by Colin Conces
Photo by Colin Conces