Between the ankle and the soul

Rochester Institute of Technology

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9-1-2002

Between the ankle and the soul

Christine Carlson

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Recommended Citation

'Between the 'Ankfe

8r

the Sour

6y

Christine Lisa CarCson

Graduate Thesis

Master of Fine Arts, Fine Art Photography

School of Photographic Arts and Sciences

Rochester Institute of Technology

September 2002

Professor Elliott Rubenstein, Thesis Board Chainnan, SPAS

Professor Patti Ambrogi, Thesis Board Member, SPAS

lD!?-2-{62-date

IO/z../02-Lynne Bentley-Kemp, Ph.D. (candidate), MFA, Thesis Board Member

date

1Jetween tfie 54.nkfe ancftfie

Sour

'By

Christine Lisa Carfson

Graduate Thesis

Master of Fine Arts

School of Photographic Arts and Sciences

Rochester Institute of Technology

PERMISSION STATEMENT

L

Christine Lisa Carlson, hereby grant permission to the

Wallace Memorial Library

ofthe

Rochester Institute ofTechnology

To reproduce my Graduate Thesis in part or in whole.

Any reproduction will not be for commercial use or for profit.

Table

of

Contents

Foreword

1

Preface

2

Skirt

Specific:

The

Her-story

of

Clothing

3

The

Her-Story

andthe

His-Story

of

Clothing

as

Art

8

Skirt

by

Definition

11

The Fetish:

Chasing

the

Skirt

12

Garments

of

Memory/Memory

of

Garments

15

Threading

Lightly.

. .The

Evolution

ofthe

Artwork

19

Exhibition Place

and

Space

21

Seam-ingly

Endless:

Art

Making

and

Studio Preparation

22

Detailing

the

Details: Exhibition Minutiae

27

The Final Frontier: Thesis Committee Approval

30

The Exhibition

31

The Work Itself: A

Discussion

34

Reactions

to the

Artwork

52

After Much Ado:

Finally Writing

the

Thesis

54

Life Imitates Art:

My

Final Thoughts

56

Bibliography

58

Forward

When I originally sat down to draft this paper, I was _completely stumped. I

honestly

didnotknowwheretobegin. I knewwhatI hadtowrite about _myartwork andit's _supporting

documentationin order to meet the schools_{requirements,} but that was as far as I could get. I feltapathetic atthe prospect of_writing a_weighty andintellectual paperthatseemed impersonal

and

dry,

both for_myreaders and me. All Iwas sureof was_{my desire}towriteathesisIwouldbe

satisfied with in _{the end, particularly} since it would be forever housed in the annals ofThe

Wallace Library. Iyearnedfora_{strategy in writing}with afreshnewangle.

After substantial _{procrastination,} accompanied

by

pages ofdeleted computer text and

wads ofcrumpled _paper, it seemed I needed a skeleton in which to build the

body

ofthe text around. I formulatedacrude outline.

Methodically,

Iroundedouttheframeworkwithachronicle

of_my experiences and the succession of steps that led to the execution ofthe artwork. I was

hoping by

retracing mysteps and_recallingall thatI didtocreate_{my artwork, the}writtenaspect

wouldbeeffortless. Itwas in sketchingthis initialoutlinethatI _{found my} strategy. As a_result, this compositionis written inchronological order andrecapitulates the_unfoldingof_mycreative

methodology, the process of _exhibition, discussion of_{the artwork,} and includes samples and

examplesofthecomponentsthatcomprisedthisthesis.

My

strategy, it turns out, was to write a paperthat not _{only illustrated my ideas in} a

mannerthatfits_{my writing}style andpersonality, but intheprocess Iformulateda guide onhow

Between

the JAnkCe

&

the

SouC

Shewears veilstocoverherbody,notinshame, but inordertocontain and contemplateher innermysteries.

MarionWoodman,

Leaving

MyFather 's House

Preface

I amtheseamstress_{for my}soul. I amdedicatedto the

inquiry

oftheskirt as a narrative

vehicle. As I am shaped

by

_{my experiences, my} experiences shapedthese skirts.

Divorcing

the skirt from the

body

permits more _{universality, removing} the distraction of

flesh,

eye _contact,

smell, andhairsothat theintendedmessage and visualintimationsaremoredistinguishable. The lackofhumanphysical form also makes clearthat the subjects

being

explored are not aboutthe

female

body,

but ratheraboutthe female souland psyche. I am_addressing the impact ofissues

that are

invisible,

_playingupon the pun of

"wearing

the heart upon one's sleeve". In essence, I

am_makingthe

invisible,

visible. Withoutthefemale

body

present, theskirtbecomestransformed

into a

body

itself,

or _perhaps, better _{stated, the} skirts act as a stage or arena.

They

are

communicative_{garments,operating}asvessels ofa narrative.

I am intrigued with the notion of_clothing as a

"vessel",

_{particularly in} regards to the

skirt. Itis also suggestedthat the female

body

is a_vessel, aform thatholds vital

bodily

_organs,

thatopensitselfto

food,

water, and airthatnourishthe vesselto functionandthrive. The female vesselis also a receptacleforsemen andthegestational apparatusforunbornchildren. The

brain,

berthed in this vessel is also a receptacle for

learning,

cultural _{messages, verbal,} and visual

messages, andisalso the station where thesemessages are classified. This samebrainprocesses

emotions:

joy,

sadness, rage, surprise, andhorror. Atthe same

time,

themind processes physical

sensationof_{sound,touch,sight,} and pain.

It is also_{my belief}that the womanis also avessel _containing centuries of_oppression, sexual_{violation, repression,}andmessagesthatcontinuetoundermineher free

functioning

within

society.

Specifically,

fertility,

_religion, boundaries

(physical,

emotional, and _{spiritual), sex,} and

Skirt

Specific:

The

Her-story

of

Clothing

You 'rebornnaked, therestis drag.

RuPaul

Clothing

ismorethansewnfabricsthatcovernakednessor serveasprotectionfrom the

elements.Itfunctions as a second_skin, a

housing

forthe

body,

awrapper. Clotheshavea

history,

an_evolution,

they

are_culturallyand class_codified, and repletewith mythological signification.

Clothing

dates back _{approximately four} hundred thousand years ago to a simple

draping

ofanimal fleece that shielded the skin from _{cold, snow, rain,} and sun. Ten thousand

years ago woven textile fabrics were _worn,

fitting

the

body

_closely and _providing the wearer better mobility (Kaiser 28-29). Researchers surmise that _clothing was _strictly utilitarian inthe beginning. A

fur-bearing

animalwas

hunted,

_skinned,andfashioned intoagarment and worn

by

the _very same person or their related

family

group.

Clothing

was singular in purpose and

directly

connectedtosurvival.

Religion rears its head at thisjuncture with the

theory

that _clothing originates with issues of modesty. With Adam and Even in _mind, it is theorized in Ruth Rubenstein's

book,

Dress Code: Meanings andMessages in American Culturethatmen werethefirsttocovertheir

bodies sincetheir sexual arousalismoreobviousthana woman's. As a_result,womenfollowed

suittocovertheirnakedness so as notto "seduce"themen_awayfromspiritualmatters (17).

Researcher

Mary

Ellen Roach proposes that human beings have had a complex

relationship with _clothing since its origins. People wear _{clothing for} three main reasons:

protection, communication, and decoration. Items that provide protection include a bulletproof

vest,

hardhat,

warm

boots,

and camouflage "fatigues". Communication via _{clothing begins} a

deeper investigation ofthis complex relationship.

Clothing

can _signify an occupation with a

uniform,status withadesigner labelor a religious affiliation withayarmulke or aveil.

Clothing

can also reveal clues about the person who dons a particular _{style, color,} shape, cut or fabric.

Decoration or personal adornment addresses the projection of selfinto the public domain and

how that self is assimilated or accepted into that domain.

Colors,

tattoos,

_piercings, current fashiontrends,

jewelry,

andcosmetics allare signals abouttohowthewearerinteractswith

Themostdynamic aspect of_clothing, andtheonethatismostrelevantto thisthesis, is its _relationship and associations _{to culture, specifically American} culture. To be clear, I am not

addressingfashion inthis work,whichis definedas "aperiod'sdesired

appearance" (Rubenstein

Dress Code

3),

but _rather, I am

dealing

_only with the female skirt form. The skirt is a female

signifier, a motif of

femininity,

and a fetishized object in the Western world. I embrace and utilizethis fetish through the absence ofthe human female form andtransform the skirt into a

body.

I address culturehere forahostofreasons.Notall countries andculturesview_clothing

and color inthe sameway. Inregards _{to the skirt,} its

history

and present

day

_clothing traditions are not_{primarily female. Egyptian}menin 2000 BCwore _skirts, and oftenwore several atatime (Roach

546),

the Scottish men wear kilts for formal _occasions, and the Greeks have a pleated

short skirt worn over _pants, while in many African cultures men wear a

draping

offabric that

resembles a skirt-like garment. Culture also affects the colors ofdress. A colorforweddings in one culture _{may be} worn for funerals in another. White in the Western world is

traditionally

associatedwith weddingsandblack is associated withfunerals. The people ofIndia wear white

for mourning (539). Thecolor, fabricand styles of_clothingalso_varywith_gender, social_status,

religion, geographic

location,

rawmaterials, andtechnology. This

being

said, Iagainunderscore

that this work is directed to a Western audience where the skirt is relegated to the feminine

realm.

Technology,

wealth, and the rise of a middle class were the major factors in the

evolution,

democratization,

and gender _specificity of clothing. "As _{towns grew,} specialized shops _{gradually appeared,} run

by

weavers, tailors, cobblers, and other craft workers who made clothes...Thequalityofclothimprovedasthecraft workersdevelopedgreaterskills.

They

began

to cut,

fit,

anddecorate clothes inmoreelaborate

ways"

(Roach 549). The Renaissance gaverise

to the petticoat worn under elaborate skirts. Inthe 1500's Spain useda _variety of materials to

create a stiffarmature orfarthingale to make women's skirtsbroad and roundedto increasethe

circumference ofthe skirt from the waist to the hem (550). The 1600's brought an increased prominence to petticoats, and bustles were introduced to push the skirt out further from her behind (551).

Women of_society wore tight-waisted corpulent skirts in the 1830's and 1840's with

whalebone or wire crinolines. The 1890's

"hourglass"

were

tightly

laced,

accompanied

by

a corsettopresent a

dainty

waistline (Roach 552). The late

Nineteenth centurywas atimewhen women appeared_{physically larger}thanlife. Asa_waytobe

fashionable and to show offher family's _wealth, she was dressed in layers of_clothing,

high-heeled shoes, grand

hats,

and upswept hairdos.

Padding,

puffed sleeves, feathered

boas,

crinolines, and petticoats increased the girth of women. Regardless ofthe

heat,

women were

dressedina stratum offabric. This fashion statementnot_{only delineated} social _status, but was

also the

beginning

of women and girls _wearing

differing

ensembles to distinguish age

differences

mostly because women were

living

longer and didn't want to look like their

youngercounterparts (Lurie The LanguageofClothes 70).

I must digressto _clarify afewpoints raisedintheprevious paragraph. When_referring

tofashions

being

embraced

by

_society, Ido not meanto suggestthatwomenweredelightedwith

the _clothing

they

dressed in.

Clothing

was not a choice

by

our modern _standards; instead itwas

often decreed

by

the _society and time period

by

means of what was considered proper and

modest. In some cases, women were beaten and placed in stockades for

being

"improperly"

dressedwhileinpublic.

Conformity

to the societaldresscodewas associated withsurvival.

The corset and crinoline were

beastly

contraptions that most women

detested,

but

society mandated. In the second half ofthe nineteenth _century, Amelia Jencks Bloomer and

Elizabeth

Cady

Stanton spearheaded The Women's Dress Reform Movement. The corset and

crinoline _practically disabled women from _moving and

breathing

freely,

which in turn

endangeredtheirhealth. Inreaction, Stantonwrotein 1857:

Women's

dress,

too...howperfectly it describes hercondition. Hertightwaistand

long,

trailing

skirt deprive her of all freedom ofbreath and motion. No wonder

man prescribes her sphere. She needs his aid at _every turn. He must

help

_{her up}

stairs and

down,

inthe carriages and_out, onthe

horse,

_up the

hill,

overthe ditch

and

fence,

andthusteachherthe_poetryofdependence (Kaiser9).

As aresult of_{this outcry,} Bloomer introduced a new style ofdress for women with a

largeoversizedshirt and_puffypantsthattaperedattheankle. Thisoffered unrestricted_mobility

and aminor _victory towards independence for women. Considered "an obscene and unladylike

rejection ofthe social _{order", the} "bloomers" were the

beginning

ofwomen

finding

theirpower

was, according to Susan B.

Kaiser,

the

beginning

of the realization "that clothing had some

social significance"

(9). In my opinion, American women were not

fully

at

liberty

to express

themselves

by

_wayof_clothinguntilthe 1960's.

Returning

to

history,

the _{manufacturing} of cloth was modernized

dramatically

in the 1700's. The spinning

jenny

was invented which spun a number ofthreads simultaneously, the

spinning mule did the work of200 people, and the steam powered loom invented in the mid 1780's spurred an immense yield of fabric for mass consumption (Roach 551). With the Industrial

Revolution,

mass production of _{clothing began} and _clothing was geared to all

socioeconomic classes. Thisincreaseinconsumption anddemocratizationof_{obtaining fabrics}

by

various class groupsbegana rapid change inwomen'sfashions(553).

By

the 1900's dramaticrevisions and short-lived fashions becamethenorm. Women's

clothing became lighter in

dimension,

weight, and fabric. The crinoline was almost _completely

abandoned. Skirts became the focal point of a _clothing revolution. The hobble skirts were so constricted at the ankles ithampered the _ability to stride down the streets in 1910. The 1920's

saw a moremasculinelooktowomen'sdresswith straightskirts(nomorehourglass

figure)

with ahemlineeitheraboveoratknee length.

(Twenty

years earlieritwas_shockingto see a woman's shoe or ankle, so imagine the changes _{afoot.) Slacks} were _slowly

infiltrating

the wardrobes of womeninthe 1930's. Hemlines rose andfell inthe 30's and40's. Whenwomen were mustered to aid in the war _effort, dress became far more _practical; womenjoined "Rosie the Riveter" wearingslacksingreater numbers_alongwith more"masculine" tailoredand practicalstyles.

"Masculine"

fashions were introduced and marketed

by

Gabrielle Chanel in the _early

twentieth century. Marlene Dietrich embraced this fashion statement and shocked the world

(making

international

headlines)

in 1933

by

wearing aboyish suit

during

hertravels to France. Herattire was so scandalous that she was threatened to either change into a skirt or bearrested

by

theParischiefof police. I am sadtoreport she didacquiesce,but didweartherestofhersuit

(man's

hat,

collar, and

tie)

with the skirt (Rubenstein 109-110). It is amazing to think that her

clothing was viewed as a _threat, and that such an outfit would shock Paris and the world. It wouldtake_manymore years untilthe "masculine"wearforwomen wouldbe

fully

embraced.

After the men returned from World War

II,

it's _worthy to note that there was a

Perhaps this "ultra feminine ideal"

was a reaction to the return ofthe men from war? Were women _seeking repentance for _entering the male realm? Was it through this regression to the femininestyle ofdressthatwomen were returnedto "theirrightfulplace"? Indeed itwas. Author

Ruth Rubenstein agrees and also credits the

baby

boom tothese factors. She notes that fashion designers like Yves Saint Laurant fueled these ideals with his introduction of the "Trapeze Line"

and designed _clothingthat emphasizedhips and theabdomen.

Harkening

backto the late Middle

Ages,

this type offashion resurrected the "pregnant look" to glamorize _maternity and

womanhood. _{In addition,} breasts became a fashion focal point and the bodies of Marilyn

Monroe and Jayne Mansfield were considered ideal (Rubenstein 93).

Round,

ultra

feminine,

curvaceous women with_{childbearing figures}were

highly

exalted.

Post World War II fashions were deposed

by

the 1950's short sheath dress (sleek and

form

fitting)

whichthen were traded forthe 60 's A-line ankle length maxi skirt and shifts that

were lessconstricting. Englandrockedthefashionworldwiththeextreme _{miniskirt, showing}the

foot,

ankle,

knee,

and upper thigh in the mid-sixties! At this point Western societies

finally

relaxed a standard dressforwomen(553). Womenwere permittedawide _varietyof choiceand personalpreference.

It is no wonder_then, at this _very same_{time, clothing} enteredthe art arena as a viable

The

Her-Story

and

His-Story

of

Clothing

as

Art

Clothing

seizes a special role[inart]: layering, molding,interpretingand emendingthebody. Asmuch as_clothingcanbesaidto_{have traditionally}

played a part_infixingwomenintosocialroles,

soit isthemedium which canfixand correct social oppression.

RichardMartin,Fall From Fashion.

Using

clothing as a means of artistic expression is a _relatively new conceptfive

decades inuse. Since many "everyday" objects have appeared inart(i.e.: flowers inpaintings,

horses in sculpture and cars _{in photographs)} orthat have served as appropriated art (a

bedpan,

musical

instruments,

or

furniture)

it was not _surprising that _clothing was conscripted and destined to be explored artistically.

Clothing

in its most_rudimentary appearance and _{utility is}

universal, itis easyto

identify

and

identify

_with, andit is acutely intimatefrom persontoperson and culturetoculture. Richorpoor,we

invariably

own atleastone articleof clothing. Weknow

what _{clothing is}called and we knowwhatit does.

Clothing

is also specific _{to age, gender, size,}

class, and social status. It can often_personify ouridentity. As

Americans,

_{clothing is} so central

to our life and _culture, we seldom contemplate it in a larger context. It is in this "taken for

grantedness"

that _clothingmakes such a prime subject for_art, because

"clothing

are independent

objects, freighted with

meanings,"

commented

Carly

Berwick in the November 2001 issue of ARTnews(164).

Many

artists have _{turned to clothing,}as it is easierformost peopletorelateto.

During

the turbulent and

highly

political

1960's,

_many artists felt a need to create work for a more

universal audience. Artists wantedtheir work to be more democraticand be seen

by

morethan the art _elite, so _employing materials like clothing while

incorporating

pertinent themes of_war,

feminism,

and politics were predominant. In her artist statement for her Steel Wool

Peignoir,

1966,

Mimi Smith wrote, "The clothingpieces were based onthe

theory

that people had more

experience

looking

at clothesthanat_sculpture,soif Imade sculpturethatlookedlikeclothes _my ideas would

instantly

translate"

(Felshin Art Journal 72).

Clothing

as an object was neither

obtuse norforeign.

The 1990'sushered inagreat number ofartists _working with_{clothing, namely}the use

that the use of _{empty clothing is} a _way of

"resisting

self images" and objectification (24). "Artists haveplayed withthe

distinction

thatis

traditionally

made between fashionand art: one

that is functional worn for_warmth,

covering and social status and one that is not"

(Berwick 164).

The largest producers of _clothing art are _{women; obviously due} to the repression

women have endured

by

being

subjected to a prescribed "uniform" from their culture. In

addition, clothing is

historically

associated to the domestic realm in its creation, purchase,

laundering,

and mending.

Finally,

_clothing as art also is an expression of

demystifying

the feminine

ideal,

stereotypes,

identity,

gender, and _sexuality issues (Felshin 20). Artists such as Mimi

Smith,

Elise

Siegel,

Leslie

Dill,

Mary

Kelly,

andAnnette Messagerhave explored themes

on_{the corset,}

bra, dresses,

andlingerie.

Reflecting

upon the

history

of_clothing, it is no wonder that it remains a dominant theme in _contemporary art, particularly employed

by

women.

Having

been

literally

bound

by

clothing at one _time, women artists are now free to express themselves through the use of clothing intheir art. Even

today,

women are still bound

by

_clothing with the _wearing of

bras,

nylon

hose,

lingerie andthe genderdifferencesstill embraced

by

society.

Clothing

will continue

to be an _enduring vehicle for expression. I myself chose the skirt as I am still bound

by

the

confines ofthe skirt. When

dressing

for a _party or formal _occasion, I continue to conform

by

wearing

long

gowns,

fussy

skirts, high

heels,

stockings,

bras,

and slips. I do not feel "well

dressed"

without_myskirtthatsignifiesme asawoman.

Perhaps women are freer to wear less bulk and have more choices than did our foremothers ofthe

1800's,

but are we

truly

liberated to wear what we wantto without fear of

reprisal? Richard MartininFall From

Fashion,

answersthisquestionhisway:

...Our society is saturated with messages and images of what is

fashionable,

to

thepointthat a part ofour self-image is

inevitably

formed

by

the knowledgethat

Theseissuesofinformationor_{misinformation,}

interpretations,

whatisseen andwhatis

Skirt

by

Definition

I love words. I like

big

_words, and _especially those that are spoken infrequently. I

detest redundancy. To me,

knowing

_precisely what a word means and to use it properly is

important - _as is

investigating

word origins.

Retaining

a host of words to assist with _wholly

articulating my

ideas,

emotions, and

individuality

equates to power. I am a talker and I am a writer, so

being

specific is of great consequence. As a _result, I use a

dictionary

often. As I

continued _my work on this

thesis,

I looked _up the word "skirt" as I knew it had multiple

definitions. I wanted to know _{how many} different meanings there were. The correlations and

juxtapositions this single word embodied astonished_me, andhow

they

relatedto the issues and

ideasraisedinthecontext ofthis thesisare profound.

Skirt,

bothanoun andaverbis definedas:

A garment

hanging

from the waist down worn

by

women andgirls;fabric that

extends over or beyond something to affordprotection; an outer edge; a border

or margin; the edge _ofa _town; a

border;

topass around rather than across or

through; topass close

by;

miss narrowly; to evade

by

circumlocution; as well as theold standard_slangtermfor "awoman"

(American Heritage Dictionary).

The definitions seemedto _embody so much ofwhatthis thesis _{is discussing. Not only}

am _{I addressing} the actual article of a _skirt, but the ideas of protection (both physical and

emotional), evasion(of

long

suppressed memories and _{accountability in}regardsto the treatment

of_woman),andtheobjectification of womenandthefeminine ideal (awoman=

The Fetish:

Chasing

the

Skirt

Laura

Mulvey

composed an _{engaging book entitled,} Fetishism and

Curiosity,

from

which Iwas able to gather more ideas aboutthe subjectofthe

fetish,

_particularly as itrelates to

theskirt. Shewritesthat afetish ismost often associatedwith_{the gaze,}andthesubject enhances the phantasmic (6). "Fetishism triumphs as _spectacle", she notes (4). It is _{my belief} that fetishism beginswith visual_cues, andthen goesastridefartherwith adesire totouchor occupy. In the context ofthis

thesis,

the fetish is not _{only the skirt,} but also the fabric. The silky, soft,

glistening threads glimmer in the

light-begging

the observer to caress

it,

to feel

it,

to _wrap

oneselfin it. Memoriesof

touching

soft fabricsmake us wantto strokethemonce_more,justlike

reaching to pet the soft coat of an animal. We know what the fabric feels

like,

it affords us pleasuretotouch

it,

andweare rewardedwhen ourhandsrestonits fibers. Theskirt isa

fetish,

butsotoo isthe fabric because

they

work

harmoniously,

_{simultaneously,}

fortifying

_validityeach tooneanother.

The skirt as a fetish is both

historically

and _{culturally embedded,} and "fetishes are

supremely culturally

specific"

(Mulvey

8). To some _men, skirts arouse more _sexualitythan

by

thepresence ofan actualwoman(Wolf 175). It isthemere objectitself divorced from

body

and

selfthat arousesthe sexuality. The fetishreplaces the originaldesire. The skirt covers the

legs,

the upper _thighs, andthe place where the legsjoin. It covers _nudity, female genitalia where a

glimpse ofthis is domain isthe ultimate prize next to intercourse. _{The mystery} of"what Scot's

wear undertheirkilts" isakinto the _mysteryand obsessionwith whatis

hiding

beneathwomen's

skirts. As I began a conscious investigation into the skirt in

history

and in current American

culture, theissueoffetish becamea_recurringtheme.

Iturn toThe American HeritageDictionaryforan exactdefinitionofthisnoun. Fetish

I. Anobjectthat is believedtohavemagical orspiritualpowers.

2. Anobject_ofunreasonablyexcessive attention or reverence.

3.

Something,

suchas a material object or non-sexual part_ofthe

body,

thatarouses sexualdesireand_{may become necessary} forsexualgratification.

The definition helped me better put the skirt into a fetishized context. As I

contemplatedthe

issue,

I beganto

keep

mental notes ofhowIhavenoticedthismanifestedin_my

experiences and culture. Itwas

important

toprovethis

theory,

andnotjust accept it. I wanted

to observe countless examples in countless forms. What I found was _astounding, and will

expandon_onlyafewexamples ofthe_sexualizingoftheskirt.

One of_{my earliest memories of grade school is boys chasing girls onthe} playground

hoping

to pull _up their skirts. No humiliation could match a _group of_{boys seeing} our white

cotton underpants. The harassmentseemedunrelenting. Nomatterhow manyskirts

they

chased andwereable _{to raise, their}appetite forourunderwear never seemedtobe satiated. Inreaction, starting atthe age of_ten, we girls opted to wear shorts under our skirts or abandoned _wearing

skirts altogether.

Currentpopular culture also emphasizesthefetish inoneepisode ofthetelevisionshow

Friends. Agrade schoolgirlnamed Susie Moss (Julia

Roberts)

now_grown-upseeks revenge on

Chandler

Bing

(Matthew

Perry)

who had pulled _{up her} skirt in front of the entire school

auditorium. Theresultwas absolutehumiliation for herandthe_enduringchildhood nicknameof

"Susie Underpants". Eventhoughitwas a_{television character,} itmade me wonder ifthe writer

ofthe_{comedy had}experiencedthisin her

life,

untilIfoundoutthewriters weretwomen.

Filmsdepictawealthof examples ofthe skirt-as-fetish. Intheepic film ThePiano, set inthemidto late

1800's,

the first

key

oftheinstrument is"earnedback"

by letting

aman

lay

on

the floor so that he can peer _{up her} skirt. In the 1992

film,

Basic Instinct Sharon Stone

exhilarated theatergoers with her celebrated panty-less

leg-crossing

_scene, in which she

deliberately

exposes herself while

being

interrogated

by

male investigators. One ofthe most

enduring examples ofskirts and the male gaze is from the 20th

Century

Fox film The Seven Year Itch starring Marilyn Monroe.

Standing

on a

heating

grate inalowcutwhite pleated _skirt,

set horrified his wife would be so vulgar. It is believed that this scene was the catalyst which

broughttheirmarriagetoan end.

Inthe_{press, The}BritishRoyal

Family

was unsettled withits first"Diana

Scandal" prior

to her marriage to Prince Charles.

Lady

Diana was _unwittingly photographed in a sheer skirt

withherbackto thelate

day

_settingsun, which revealedthe fulloutline ofherlegs. Tabloidsran

this photograph _worldwide, much to her repugnance and disgrace. Pornographic magazines

always include a photo or two ofa female model _standing or _{reclining in} a skirt before the

camerato reveal her _panties, garter

belt,

_slip, or even vulva. Books on manners and a "proper

lady's"

deportment have chapters onthecorrect _{wayto sit,} with eitherankles orlegs crossed or

withlegs

together,

depending

uponthegarmentandthe_{setting in}whichthe _sittingoccurs. As a

younggirl (unaware ofthe tabooIhadbetween_my

legs),

I remember

being

scolded_manytimes

by

mygrandmothers tobemore "lady-like"while_wearinga skirt. Iwas not permittedto_{play in}

skirts orsit

"Indian-style";

instead I wasto sit_{up straight,} smooth_my skirtover_mycrossed legs

and actlikealady.

The forces ofnature have also wreaked havoc uponthe skirt wearer.

Wearing

a skirt

on a _windy

day

required a woman's free hand to _constantly either hold the skirt down or to

repositionit after_every gust. _{A soaking} rain could turn that white skirt into the equivalent of a

white tee shirt within seconds. One ofthe reasons skirts were once so

heavily

layered was to

protect women and "proper

society"

from an unavoidable weather related flash of a woman's

shoe, ankle or knee. In

fact,

_many women did not go out on _{windy days} to avoid such

happenings. Women were held responsible for this type ofindecent exposure and were

duly

punished eventhough itwas an act of nature. This makes one contemplate theratio of men to

women onthestreetsofChicago inthosedays!

I know I have overstated the skirt-as-fetish with copious _examples, but it is in the

numerous examples thatthe fetish and enthrallment is bestemphasized and perpetuated. These

examples alsoadd evidenceto the

definitions'

use ofthewords

"fixation",

"excessive_attention",

and"obsessive

preoccupation"

becausethis "material object"

(a skirt) does in fact "arousesexual

desire". _{In exploring} the skirt-as-fetish, I am not _renouncing it or

judging

this

tendency,

but

Garments

of

Memory/Memory

_of

Garments

Memoriesare a selection_ofimagessome elusive. Someprinted_indeliblyonthebrain. Each imagelikeathread.

Eachthreadiswoventogetherlikeatapestry.

This_tapestrycreates our memories andthesememories create our past.

Unknown

While attending the Gianni Versace Retrospective show at the Metropolitan Museum

ofArtin New York

City

inthe late

90's,

I was struck

by

a quote used

by

thecurator ofthe show

fromMarcel Proust's RemembranceofThings Past:

When from a

long

distant past _nothing subsists...the smell and taste ofthings remained poised a

long

time,

like _{souls, ready} to remind us...

[of]

the vast

structuresofrecollection.

Indeed,

the constructs of recollectionare _vast, and memories are prompted

by

_sensory cueslike _{sight, sound, smell,} andtouch. Weare sensitive creatures and proneto reverie. These

sensoryprompts arelike

booby

_traps, which seemto_springout ofnowherewhen weleastexpect

it,

and transport us _away to an earlier place and time. The skirts I have created address

memory both ofthe mind andthe body.

They

are intended to prompt memory, as _many were created out of_myown life experiencesand addressissues closeto_{my heart. We have} all at one point in our life been confounded

by

a deja vu sensation brought on

by

an odor or physical

sensation. It is my hope that _my skirts would do the same, perhaps _allowing the viewer the opportunitytoretracetheirstepsin

life,

ortoface

long

deniedrealities.

Physical,

sensory, visual, and tactile memories, those we cannot verbalize but instead feel never leave us;

they

become part ofthe "tapestry" of our psyche and personality. Alice

Miller,

the author ofThe Drama ofthe Gifted Child researched child abuse issues in her book and _writes, "our true, repressedlife

history

is stored _up inourbody" (7). Ourbodiesremember everything, and we cannot obliteratethepain, butcan expel it fromour consciousness and store itsomewhere hidden

deeply

inside (8). These remembrances resonate somewhere in our minds

andin our

body,

and_perhaps, simultaneously. We can recall theweave and our desireto touch those fabrics we have a connection with. We also have recollections ofhow we have been

fabric cantransport to a place ortime that

incites

_mightypeace or

towering

pain. Ouremotional

memorybank is sometimes the greatest chasmto

face,

and_whymany choose to disregardtheir

past. All these _sensory imprints comprise who were are and how we interact with our world.

They

moldand defineus.

They

determine

howwe viewthe worldand interact withthepeople in our lives. "What is remembered

by

the

body

is well _remembered", says Elaine

Scarry

(The Bodyin Pain 109).

Like ourindelible_psyches,fabric and_clothing are receptorsformemory.

Clothing

and fabrics mark_{seasons, occasions, activities, youth,} and maturity. There are types of clothes that

are wornfor specific activities and venues: schoolclothes, church clothes,gym clothes, dressup clothes,playclothes,andworkclothes.

Clothing

signifiestimesand phasesin life.

Whenalovedone

dies,

they

leavebehindtheirmostintimate itemsfor

family

members to sort, some ofwhich is their clothing.

Clothing

outlives _us, and often out wears us. It is a

legacy. Itremindsus ofhow

fleeting

life is. Althoughthephysical

body

has

failed,

thedeceased

person's scent and

body

shape lives on in their clothing. It is not uncommon for the_mourning

process to spiral into chaos when the deceased's wardrobe is confronted. Peter Stallybrass

weighs the complexities of his experiences with _mourning and _{clothing in "Worn Worlds:}

Clothes, Mourning,

andthe Life of

Things",

inthe 1 993 edition ofthe Yale Review. Afterhis friend Allon

died,

Stallybrass was bequeathed a prized jacket of

his,

and interprets how the jacketseemedto "invoke" hisfriend (36). Hewrites, "Themagic of cloth...isthatitreceivesus:

receives our _smells, our _sweat, our shape even (36). Clothes receive the human imprint (37). Cloth isa kindofmemory. When apersonis absent or

dies,

cloth can absorbhis orher absent

presence"

(38).

"I could smell him.

Dead,

he still hangs there in the closet, in the shape ofhis

body

impresseduponthe cloth, inafrayed_cuff, inasmell", reflects Stallybrass (39). Thesewords hit

a_verypersonal nerve for me. After the death of_my paternal _{grandmother, mytwo sisters, my} dadandIwereleftwiththefinal

duty

of_cleaning outherapartment.

Many

objectsbroughttears to our _eyes, but it was her clothing that was most poignant for me. There is _something

remarkably incongruous about a closetfull of clothes thatwill neveragainbe worn. I

distinctly

remember

burying

_{my face into her}sweaters,

blouses,

and scarves

hoping

toencounter eventhe

didn'tseem

dead,

butrather suspended somewherebetweenthephysicalandmystical. Herspirit

tarriedinthe sweet smell ofherclothing. Solaceand anguish_{simultaneously}overwhelmedme.

Aswe

flip

through thepages of our photo_albums,we_manytimescan_vividlyrecallthe

feel offabric we were _wearing ina particular picture,wherethe outfitwas purchased, forwhat

occasion it was worn

for,

or how we felt when we wore it. The photographs also conjure

remembrances of_{fashion fads. We}

laugh,

_cringe, and reminisce about_colors,

hemlines,

styles and patterns ofthe clothes we once wore. We can

immediately identify

outfits we adored or

disdained. Aversion to certain fabrics can also be rooted

directly

to

distressing

events in our

lives.

Itchy

woolen plaid uniforms worn in grade _{school; corduroy} pants that "chirped" as our

seemingly too-large-thighs rubbed _{together; slippery} polyester of_my deceased grandmother's

dresses;

acrylicfacemasks wornintheprocessof a_robberyor_rape; fabriccan remindus.

A few years ago I was

helping

a friend pack her belongings prior to hermove across

country. In_{the process,} Iunearthedaboxofphotographs in her_closet, andwesat onthecarpet

tolookthrough them. As luckwouldhave

it,

I founda photograph ofthe twoofustakenseveral

years earlier. While Igiggled abouthow silly Ithoughtwe

looked,

she gasped. Inwhat seemed

like one _motion, she snatched the photograph from my

hand,

vaulted to her feet and tore it to

shreds.

Puzzled,

I asked her what was wrong. "That's the dress I was _wearing when I was

raped",she saidsoftly. "After thecourt casewasclosed, that stupiddress was returnedtome. I

tookitto theback yardandburned

it."

Shemuttered underher

breath,

"Won'twear silk_again,

itripstooeasily."

Stunned,

Igot_upandheldheras shewept.

Indeed,

fabriccan remind us.

As agirl ofmaybe_thirteen, I was _rummagingthrough our

family

cedar chest with_my

mother. I clearly remember her cooingwhen she opened a tatteredbox that contained several

diminutive dressesand shoes. It turnsout, mymomkept afewarticles of_clothing that each of

my sisters and I wore as children. When our

family

homestead was sold in 1997 and all ofthe

contents were sorted_through,mymotherhandedmeasmall whitedresswith

dainty

_embroidery

at the neckline. She told me it was a dress I wore when I was about a year old. I packed the

dress in abox and took it home with me. I safeguardthat little dress in a drawerof_mybureau

andlookatitoften.

Inthe course of

drafting

this thesis, Itelephonedmymom and asked_{her why} she had

preserved our childhood clothing. She told me she kept it for manyreasons. She recalled that

other's were worn for an occasion

like

the first

day

of school or a

birthday,

while some Mom said were _{favorites. Without further}

prompting, she continued. Mom mentioned that she held onto the clothes as a _way of

"scrap-booking",

they

were not saved to be used again or to be handed on, kept strictly for the purpose of reverie. "Clothes

keep

well, papers

disintegrate,

and

photographs fadeandturn colors. Clothesare _{easyto store",}sheremarked.

They

wereatangible

part of her life and ours. She liked

having

three little girls; the small articles of _clothing remindedherof when we were

little,

_sweet,cuddlyand smelled like

baby

powder. "The clothes couldn't

keep

you _small, but these dresses and outfits remind me of a time when you were

small", Mom disclosed. She toldme she wished shehad kept swatches of eachofour garments tomakeaquiltwith(this_comingfrom_mymotherwho_rarelysewed anything).

For_me,

looking

atthisdress _mymother gavebacktome commands a_comminglingof heartache and wonderment

deep

withinme. I amforeveramazed at howsmall and vulnerable I

oncewas, andneverwillbeagain. I tastea

deep

griefin mythroatabouttheendandlossof_my childhood. Iwill_onlycontinuetomature and growolder. Thewondermentis attachedto

hardly

remembering

being

"that small". I can't remember when _{my legs} were too underdevelopedto walk, I moved fromplaceto place carried in my

parents'

arms. It seems strangeto thinkthat I

can't remember the feel of_my own petite

body,

what it felt like to be

fragile, dependent,

and unabletodressandfeedmyself. Ialso get excited when Idreamof_myunbornchildrenwho will

somedaywear

tiny

_outfits,andto one

day

explain_{why I have kept}theirclothing,as well.

Clothing

is significantinourlife andto thosewewillleave behindafterwehave died.

Ithashoused ourfragile bodies andmade statementsto thoseweknowandinteractwith. Ithas

kept us _warm,

dry,

and stylish. Our lifetime of_{clothing is} a growth chart and is a gauge of

history.

Absorbing

stains like finger paints,

food, blood,

body

odor, and ink...fabric is a

mappingof our life. Ifwecould assemble all ofthe _clothingwe ownedthroughoutour

lives,

it wouldtell the story of what we

did,

howwe

lived,

and what we ate. We could recountwhat we did in certain _outfits, which were our

favorites,

and how and _why the _clothing articles were

ultimately discarded. We could narrate how it was used as a napkin and

tissue,

a part of an

ensemble, a fashion statement, and how it

finally

ended _up

being

used as a _rag for

dusting

the

house.

Clothing

would resurrect our adventures, events, emotions, and where _every stain and

tear originated.

Using

_clothing as an art form seems so _natural, as _clothing and fabricstrigger

Threading

Lightly... The Evolution

of

the

Artwork

Asecret_{thingmay be}hiddenaway, ina concealedplace,

buta secret_meaningmustbetransformedintoa code.

Onecanbe_simplydiscovered

by

the eye, theotherhastobe deciphered.

LauraMulvey,FetishismandCuriosity.

The evolution ofthese "storiedvessels"

wasborn out of a single skirtI preparedforan

early R.I.T. Walk-Through. It was large and greenand_shiny, created from a_{ghastly bridesmaid}

dress I wore for _my cousin's wedding. The skirt installation incorporated mirrors and text with

themesofPandora's Box. Iusedadimmedroomand controlled

lighting

tothrowshadowsofthe

skirt,whichadded an _ancillary elementto the work. Thoughthisinitialwork was criticized, and

riddledwith_{technical problems,many}saw potentialintheideasand subject matter.

Overthe next _quarter, I explored work

by

otherfabric and _{clothingartists,} delved into

historical documents on _clothing, thumbed through _contemporary and vintage fashion

magazines. I read feminists writings about women's garments and its context in society and

examined_myownwardrobeandthoseof people_passingme onthestreet. I had discussionswith

friends,

watched TV, sketched, stitched _{up ideas...}andthen_completelyabandonedthe skirt as a

potential artform.

After

investigating

other mediums and subject matter and

finding

myself_uninspired, I

once again returned to the skirt. I seemed drawn to

it,

rapt and intrigued

by

its _shape,

form,

sexual and cultural

implications,

complexities and potential. Another Walk-Through was upon

me,and I

feverishly

produced more skirts. Since one skirt couldnotincorporate and_conveythe

multitude of messages I felt were_workable, Itook to the _sewingmachinetoyieldfourgarments

of_{varyingsizes,}

fabrics,

_textures,and meanings.

Again,

with controlled

lighting

and a new collection of_skirts, I presented _my work.

After mulling over_{the preliminary} group's critique, whatfirst seemed like a catastrophe turned

toglimmers of success. The _{contradictory}dialogues of

faculty

and students_{troubled me,} as well

as the interpretations the audience members were discussing. Men and women had _very

conflicting analysis, while some people had no insight or reactions at all. As I spoke to more

peoplethat

day,

_{I discovered many}were

having

apersonalexperience andanemotional response

simply marched out ofthe studio. I got excited and encouraged. I was fascinated that others

were

having

deeperand

differing

interpretations

_{than those}Ihad_{originally intended.}

Since _{that show,} I knew _my final

body

of work for my MFA thesis would focus on

these skirts. Some ofthe work for this thesis was taken from that show, and _{many have been}

modified andnewones have been

incorporated.

Asthe artwork_{took shape,} I realizedthe stories

Iwas

telling

through these skirts were

deeply

personalfor_me, sometimesbeyondwords. I found

that each skirt had a voice and a gesture. Some pieces whisper, another _{may shout,} some are

direct,

whileothers arehesitant.

They

areentitiestome.

Istruggled foratimeabout_revealingsuchpersonal issuesaboutmyself. As Iread

Lucy

Lippard'sbook

Overlay,

I felt a sense ofrelief_reading thatwomen_manytimes

"explicitly

link

theirart andtheirbodies (46)"

and return

"directly

to ourbodies andpersonal experiences (47)"

for inspiration. The creation ofthis artwork was cathartic because what I could not verbalize I

could_physically create. The greatest freedomwas _separating what Iwantedtheworkto address

and that which the audience interpreted did not have to be the identical and congruent. As

photographer Eileen Cowan _said, "not all narratives have resolution (George Eastman House

Exhibition Place

and

Space

My

experiences of _showing this work _previously mandated a careful command of

lighting

and environment.

Technique,

attention to

detail,

flawless presentation, and technical

execution were key. Without the

darkness,

the shadows were not as prominent and the fabric

lost its luminosity. Noise was a distraction. High ceilings were required to suspend the skirts

from. Installation oflight fixtures in the _ceiling and _concealing the cords were paramount. I

needed a spacein whichto create and install without restriction. Theseneeds led mycolleague

Rachel Smith and I to search for exhibition space outside of the Rochester Institute of

Technology's SchoolofPhotographic ArtsandSciencesgallery.

Early

in the winter of

1998,

we began our pursuit of space in which to work and

exhibit. We metwith

landlords,

walked through_many

buildings,

drove all over_{the city,} braved

two massive

blizzards,

scouted _{parking, electricity} and _sanitary

facilities,

and

finally

found the

suitable locale. We decided upon a three-room studio in the Artist's

Loop

at Village Gate

Square,

signed a six-monthleaseand movedin.

Dividing

the space was done prior to _signing the

lease;

it was the reason we selected

this space tobegin with. Sincethe space met both of ourrequirements, neither ofus needed to

sacrifice. Thefront dooropenedintoareceptionareathatwasflanked

by

tworooms. Theoneto

the left was generous with steel girders in the ceiling. The room to the right was what I was

hoping

to

find,

a spacewith ahigh ceilingandanintimate feel. (NOTE: See Appendixfor Floor

Plan ofStudio B-3

24.)

Withtheapproval of our respectivethesiscommittee_members, RachelandI set

Friday,

Seam-ingly

Endless: Art

Making

& Studio

Preparation

The very

day

we had secured _{the studio,} I went

diligently

to work. Aware that time

would pass

briskly,

I wanted to leave _nothingto the last minute.

Early

_mornings, latenights, a lotof_caffeine, constant_music,

daily

_conferences, and

library

books galvanized andinspiredme. I scheduled meetings with _my thesis committee members to

keep

me on track.

Relentlessly

I

read, created,

deconstructed,

drew,

stitched, while

learning

aboutthefinerpoints ofsewing.

Sewing

101: At _{this point,} I must digress and confess. I failed _sewing class in 7th

grade I

honestly

earned myself an "F".

My

school was still bound to the notion that boys studied metal and _woodworking while the girls learned to cook and sew. "Home

Economics"

they

calledit a_{pedagogy left}overfromthe50's. Iresented anddetested it. I hadnointerest in

anything domestic. I was furious aboutthe gender _specificity of_{the class,}

knowing

in my gutI wouldneverbeahousewifelike Carol

Brady

orJune Cleaver. Irebelled

by

not_producingafinal project for the class. _{While my fellow} classmates were _{proudly showing} off their handmade skirts and _pillows, I sat _apathetic, contemplated _my

failing

_grade, and hoped my teacher wouldn't notice me.

Well,

the_sewingteacherdidand called_mymothertodiscussthesituation. Ithink _mymotherhadtobitehertongue andnotburst intoafitoflaughterthroughmost ofthat

conversation.

Martha Stewart and _my mother don't stand a chance of

being

friends.

My

mother

defied the conventions ofdomestic. She _{wholeheartedly} embracedthe Women's

Movement,

so

cooking, sewing, and _cleaning were notespied

by

her as a "feminine" undertaking. Everyone in my

family

tookpartin runningthehouse.

My

motherbelievedthat

being

ahousewifewith allits

chores, trappings, and archetype was a fate paralleled to prison

life,

so she went to work in business.

Incredibly

wedidown a_{sewingmachine,} but it onlycollecteddust inthebasementand

was

finally

thrown out. We daughterswereindoctrinatedtobelieve we coulddo anythingwe set our minds _to, were taught to view ourselves as equals to men, andto reject sexual division in laborand status. Through my mother's example, I too came to renounce andbe critical ofthe domestic.

Onthepolar opposite side of_mymother, sat_mypaternal grandmother who could

knit,

sew, crochet and kept an immaculate house. Although Nana was head nurse at a New York

hospital andwell respected in herprofession, she was in every way ahomemaker. Shewasthe

to teach me to sew and _cook,

dismissing

_them as old fashioned and irrelevant. Sure I could

replace a

button,

but that was the extent of_{my sewing} prowess. Howit was I came to _sewing

from,

photography as aform of artistic expression perplexed and amused both my mother and

myself. Itwas ironic then thatI wasto inherit_{my Nana's} beloved vintage_sewingmachine after

she passed_{away, two}weeksbefore Ibeganschool atR.I.T. Perhaps itwas an omen.

Entrenched in _my

thesis,

I began to regret _{rebuffing my} grandmother's offers of

assistance. I also beganto realizethatalthough_{sewing has been}

long

viewedas afemale_{task, it}

was _merely a means to an end. It was a productive and meaningful skill to master. I also

discoveredthat_sewingwas rather_meditative, andlackedtheassociations ofbondage mymother

equatedwithit. Inthe end,Rachel taughtmehowtobestworkthe_sewingmachine, as Iretained

very little from my 7th grade class. I studied _{clothing patterns,} experimented with

fabrics,

conferenced with the staff at almost _{every fabric} and _sewing store within a 25 mile radius of

downtown

Rochester,

New

York,

looked at how _my own clothes were _constructed, learned

intricate sewingtechniques, andkepton sewing. Muchto _mysurprise,my sewing improvedand

theskirtstookshape.

Addressing

the Walls and Floor: One cold _morning it was time to _{deflect my}

concentration from skirt_making and address the issues of

lighting

and environment. The room

had a window and an _{auxiliary door I didn't} want to use. The door and window needed to be

transfigured into one contiguous _wall, which required some minor construction. Thanks to _my

father,

I was competent with the finer points of

drywall,

_{tape, compound,} and sanding. Aftera

few days ofintensive construction work, I was pleased

by

the seamlessness of_{the section,} and

was humored

by

the fact that I could indeed sew and do drywall! (If only my sewing teacher

could see me _now!) After the _{final sanding} was complete, I primed and painted the walls. I

selected a

deep

_{gray for} the walls and the floor a matte black to best promote shadows and

preventlight

bouncing

intheroom.

In addition to _{painting my} studio, Rachel andI paintedthe reception room walls with

freshcoat ofwhite paint. Sincethiswouldbethefirst impressionof our shows andbearourtitle

lettering,

we wantedthe walls to lookcrisp. Fans ran

day

and night fora weektoventilate the

paintfumes. Wethoughtthestudio space shouldbe

inviting

sopeople could spendtimewiththe

work, without the distractions and unpleasantness ofthe construction and installation process.

along. I didn't want the studio to appear

temporary

or _{newly finished} to _merely house the

exhibition.

Lighting

and Shadows: As the skirts were _completed, I spent countless hours at

hardware stores _scouting

lighting

fixtures, learning

about electrical

installation,

and considered

light sources and techniques. I needed to light not _only the front of the skirts, but some

necessitated abacklight or

illumination

fromthe innerrecesses ofthe work. Atthe same timeI neededto cast precise shadows. After

testing

a_varietyof

fixtures,

I decideduponatypeoftrack

lighting

with incandescent bulbs forthe _majority ofthe skirts. I ruled outhalogenlights as

they

burntoo_visuallyand_{physically hot.}

By

late

March,

the calendar and the mirror became my worst enemies. One told how little I was _sleeping as itreflected dark circles under_my sunkeneyes, whilethe otherinformed

metherewasn'tmuchtime tosleep. Iwas at a crossroads. I neededtoputthelast seamsinto the

skirts andinstallthelighting. This meantIwas_nearingthe_end;the show was_onlyweeksaway. Uponthecompletionof_{the skirts,} Iagain met with_mythesiscommitteeforthefinalapproval.

Evenwith a

towering

ladder,

I hadto standonthe tips of_mytoes tomount the skirts into the ceiling. Some skirts wereto _stay

firmly

in place, while others I wantedto _swing and

move with the air current. The installation was

tricky

because I wanted an ethereal

floating

presence without

detecting

the

fishing

line. As a_result,Iexperimentedwithdifferentstrengths of filament.

Withthe skirts

finally

_situated, I could now_mapoutthelighting. The 20 footexposed beam ceiling hadnoelectrical _wiringwhatsoever;thereforeIhadtorun wiresfromtheoutlets on

the_{floor up}thewallsandintothe

fixtures,

_makingsure

they

were paintedtoblendwiththewalls andwellhiddenfromview. Thanksto_mysix-foot-twoassistant, the tracksof

lighting

went_{up in} afewdaysafter_manyrepositionings.

The skirts were lit and relit. I had to rearrange some ofthe skirts to better suit the

placement ofthe shadows. It was also _{necessary to} fashionsnoots and diffuserstodistribute the

light. The

lighting

becamethemost

daunting

and_exactingcomponent oftheshow. Itwas crucial

to ensure each skirt had equal

illumination,

as I did not want _any skirt to seem like the focal

upon the skirts required the

fixtures

to be placed high on the wall or _ceiling so that audience

members would not casttheirown shadows upon_{the work, the}

floors,

orwalls.

There werethree skirtsthat required additional

lighting

equipment. One ofthe smaller

skirts required a small low wattage light. It took a bit oftrial and error until I decided upon a

small

battery

pack and book light so that no wireswould bevisible fromthe front ofthe work.

Thered skirt neededtobelit fromwithin andagain,a smalllightwas fashionedsoas nottobe

visiblewhen the hole inthe skirt was peered into.

Again,

I struggled withthe brightness ofthe fixture so as not to over light the inside ofthe skirt and wipe outthe red reflective glow. The

Communion skirt, thelargestof_{them all,}was aformidabletask. Itrequired asmall shaftoflight

to fall about 13 feet through the

body

ofthe skirt to it's hem. I spent the betterpart ofa

day

perfecting it.

The last

lighting

issue was the _{entry door into} the studio. Since the reception room

neededtobewell

lit,

I hadtodeviseameans forthe viewertoenterthe space

discreetly

and with

the least amount of_{light coming in} with them. I used a _{sexy black} satin that was lined with a

black cotton fabric to make a dense curtain. It not _{only blocked} and absorbed

light,

but it was

also an experience to transition into the space.

Having

to touch the fabric to enter gave the

vieweratactileand active rolein

beginning

toexperiencethework. In some_ways, Iwanteditto

feel like

being

in a skirt. I also likedthe encounter, if only for a_second, of

being

enveloped in

thefabric. Itried to capitalize ontheanticipationthatapersonwould havepriorto_walkinginto

the room. The black curtain added to the _mystery of_{the space,} the _only clues the person had

before pulling backthe curtain was thetitle. I wanted a

feeling

of apprehension and_anxietyto

bepresent. Withoutclues as to what wasbehindthecurtain allowedtheviewerto nothave any

preconceived notions before entering the studio. (NOTE: See Appendix forStudio Diagram for

theplacement_ofthe_skirts.)

Sight and Sound: What I envisioned and strived to fulfill was a quiet and

contemplative spaceinwhichto interactand encounterthework. Ihadonce considered_addinga

sound_element, but I foundthevisual stimulation sufficient. I didnot wantto givetheaudience a full sensory experience.

My

intentionwas to allowthem to form their own connections and to

notbombardthemwithaplethoraofinformation.

The other occurrence I desired was the motion the audience's presence had on the

added yet another dimension to the overall installation.

Empty floating

skirts _gyrating slightly,

trembling,

breathing,

approaching and_{retreating; the}movement added anadditional

"life"

to the

seeminglyuninhabited skirts. I installedthe skirts sothat

they

would moveandinteractwiththe

Detailing

the

Details:

Exhibition

Minutiae

In March and April of

1999,

as Rachel and I continued _readying our artwork, we

charted our _{advertising and signage strategies for opening} night andthe weeks ofexhibition. It

was imperative to

keep

a calendar at the _ready to ensure we had adequate time to meet all

deadlines and to plan sufficient time to get our press releases out in the papers and our

announcement cards printed and mailed. We were cognizant of our _necessity to advertise our

shows since itwas offcampus. We also neededtoplanamenuforour_reception, as neitherone

of us wantedtocook or prepare _anythingbeyondour artwork.

Announcement Cards:

Using

the _{company Modern Postcard based in}

Carlsbad,

CA,

Rachel andIdecidedupon_{two sided,} 4.25 x6 inchannouncement cardand wenttowork onthe

design. We fused visual themesfrom our workand scanned in a tape measure, fabric patterns,

blueprints and a minor amount oftext.

Using

Photoshop,

together we created a _mutually

agreeable layout with an end result both alluring and enigmatic. On the verso we added our

pertinent

information,

saveditondiskand senditoffto the_companyforprinting.

The cards were completed and the order of 500 was received in plenty of time.

Togetherwe assembled a_{mailing list} of_artists,

faculty, friends,

and members of_{the art, photo,}

and videoworld. Rachel andIknewthe_{many benefits}of_sharing a show: not_onlycouldwesplit

our expenses butwecould also shareouraudiencetoincreaseattendance.

Sitting

onthe floorof

myapartmentwe printedthe

labels,

attachedthem_{to the cards,}affixedthepostage and sentthem

in late March. The remaining cards were placed in student and teacher's R.I.T. mail

folders,

affixed to

faculty

doors and bulletin

boards,

and piles were left in local stores,

libraries,

and

galleries. (NOTE: See AppendixfortheAnnouncement

Card.)

Press Releases: Inadditionto theannouncementcards,we wrotetwoversionsof press

releasesand sentthem outto the local Rochester papers, to papers in Buffaloand

Syracuse,

and

to our local home newspapers. Our promptness was rewarded

by having

each press release

printed in each ofthe papers (without any typographical _errors) for four weeks. (NOTE: See

Appendixfor Press Releasesand printed versionsfromthe newspapers.)

Catering: With all the hard work we were_{putting into} our _show, it felt importantto

plan a fantastic opening celebration. Our intention was to create an atmosphere where people

wantedto lingerandnot rush offtohave dinner. We wantedour audienceto stay and_enjoynot

met with several caterers. We ordered a_variety ofdelicaciesto feedthe crowd. Inaddition, we

bought cases of_wine, soda and

juices,

and asked afewfriendsto tendbar.

Going

theextramile

we purchased color coordinated _{cups, plates, glasses,} candles and napkins. Thanks to our

landlord,

wewere ableto hostthe reception outsidethestudio inthelarge spacejust beyond our

door. _{This way} the reception room wouldbe _{relatively empty} andtheexhibitions would not be

overwhelmedwithnoise.

Signage/Vinyl Lettering: Because the location ofour studio within the Village Gate

Squarewasalittle difficultto

find,

we wanted our studio address postedoutsidethestudio door.

In _addition, we wanted

lettering

with the titles of our shows and our names for the walls. Our

fellow _{M.F.A. colleague, Sangdal Lee} offered to do it for us free of charge as a _way to

congratulate uson our show.

Again,

Rachel andI sattogetheratthecomputer andfinalized our

lettering. With all the expertise and _machinery at his

disposal,

he generously sent us the final

self-adhesivevinyl

lettering

withindays.

Installing

the

lettering

was a tedious and _painstaking task. With exact measurements

and attentiontosquare and

level,

wetaped_upthefirstphase ofthe_{lettering. I suddenly}regretted

having

such a

long

title! _{After checking}thefirst phase oftheprocess again, weburnished them

ontothewall. In_{the end, the titles}madethespacelookcomplete.

Gallery

Hours: Sinceour showwas offtheR.I.T. campus,we wanted ourcolleagues,

faculty,

and the general public to visit the gallery. We also anticipated a handful of_curiosity

seekers who would _{stop in} while _shopping, eating, or _visiting other artists atthe Village Gate

Square. Rachel and I established _mutually agreeable times and dates to be at the gallery. We

divided the _time, and kept ourhours as scheduled...even when _sleeping or _socializing seemed

moredesirable.

Artist's Statement and Acknowledgements: Ittook little efforttocompose _myartist

statement, as I derived much of the _{wording from my} thesis proposal, press releases, and

research I had done while _creating the artwork. It seemed to flow out as a result of

being

so

enmeshed withtheworkforsuch an extended period oftime.

A list of acknowledgements seemed appropriate to exhibit adjacent to _my artist's

statement. Itwas _necessaryformeto listthenames ofthose who had helpedme_alongthe way.

Friends, family,

colleagues, and fabric store clerks played an indispensable role in this show.

alter, and enhance _my work.

Displaying

the names was a modest gesture to declare my

gratitudeand esteemto thosewho supported me.

Thesetwostatements were situatedontheleftwallasone enteredtheexhibitionspace.

An elegant presentation of