Hold Still, Janet
Blankets and safety pins, 43” x 66”
This piece is about the darker, more hidden aspects of many relationships.
My grandfather, a skilled but controlling photographer, demanded that my grandmother Janet pose in various settings for his camera. From the flower garden, to the ice rink, to the mountains, he captured her living her life as they grew their family throughout the 1950s and 1960s. They later divorced. Now age 98, Janet still hates being photographed.
Using safety pins and blankets printed with these old photographs of Janet, I explore how we work to patch together and project a certain image of our relationships to outsiders.
Stretch (Self-Portrait)
Digital photo on canvas, safety pins, 50” x 32.25”
My work combines photography and three-dimensional materials to investigate the themes of body image and self-acceptance. Through self-portraits, I grapple with my body’s appearance as it shrinks and grows throughout the course of my life.
Printing this portrait on canvas converts it into a sort of large paper doll. I play and experiment with shape and flow by adding safety pins. The safety pins represent adaptation; they allow for change, flexibility, and spontaneity. Nothing is permanent when working with safety pins, and they can accommodate any size or shape. For this work, I transform the image with safety pins into a new version of myself.
