Heterotopic Fuzz. Acrylic Yarn. 6ft x 3ft, 2020
I am often drawn to excess of colour and vibrancy and the idea of abundance. The theme of heterotopia has also been a major influence behind my work this semester aiming to demonstrate the concept of my own real-world utopia. Heterotopia is a word that describes space that is somehow ‘other’ e.g. intense, transforming or incompatible. A heterotopic space is a world within a world, and in my case, a utopian microcosm transforming space and emulating the environment of a spiritual and religious sacred space using textiles. The plethora of colour and texture through tactile and abstract textile manipulation in this body of work represents an exploration of my own identity and aims to conceive my own ideas of fantasy and spirituality. The punch needle technique used combined with the various thicknesses and lengths of yarn lends an irregular, chaotic surface of different tangible gradations. Engaging with textile manipulation in such a way has allowed me to explore an ongoing interest in craft whilst recontextualising a traditional technique which would conventionally be considered old-fashioned.
The work presented is a scaled down version of what would have been an immersive installation generating haptic experience. As an alternative I have chosen to occupy a different form of space utilising my materials in a similar way but making use of a portable wooden frame to present my finished work in a similar way to how it would have been exhibited in the studio environment. I transported and photographed the finished piece in a grungy, bleak underground carpark in order to present my abstract expression of warmth, fantasy and spirituality within the juxtaposed, derelict reality of current times.
@iamrosiehs
