Curatorial Rationale

I want to highlight and appreciate the experience of life and the transition to the next. The motif and symbolism of flowers throughout my exhibition are significant as they represent the passing on of life seen in many plants as they bear the seeds that are necessary for new generations of plants to grow. Flowers are also often used as gifts or tokens put on top of graves as it is believed that the flowers would grow into the grave and it would mean that the deceased has found peace and moved on to the next life. I have separated my exhibition into two halves as I wanted 5 pieces to symbolise the more flourishing aspects and beginning of life and the other 5 pieces to symbolise the ending of life and the transition to the next life.

I used stencilling and spray paint to create 3 pieces and acrylic paint to make one, I used brushing and sponging techniques when working with acrylic paint. I also did embroidery in which I utilised many techniques including the backstitch, Outline stitch, Satin stitch, Lazy daisy stitch and french knot all of which I taught myself how to do. I also used the embroidery thread in an unconventional way by only creating one stitch through the fabric and leaving the rest of the thread hanging on top in order to create my desired effect. I was also inspired by Andy Warhol when designing one of my embroidery pieces. I also utilised digital art software which I was completely new to. However, I utilised it a lot to create my stencils and other digital artwork. Another technique I was new to was laser cutting. I had never used a laser cutter in my life before however, I utilised it a lot in many of my pieces. A material I was also not used to using was cardboard, The material was a challenge to figure out especially when applied to creating a garment and clothing, I utilised the laser cutter to create a patterned textile effect in order to elevate my dress and I also used the natural properties of the cardboard in order to form my dress. In order to create my cardboard dress, I utilised techniques by Anne Weber to create my desired shapes. The themes of reincarnation, death, life and growth are all prevalent in my exhibition, a few pieces are based on my personal experiences, for example, the background in my comic is based on my backyard from back home in the united states, And the sakura blossoms behind my embroidery portrait are reminiscent of my childhood in Japan.

I created 5 darker pieces and 5 lighter pieces and separated them into two halves of my exhibition space in order to highlight the juxtaposition between life and death. I have 4 pieces facing each other in order to further the juxtaposition and highlight the tension between life and death. The dress itself is supposed to create a personal connection to the audience as it is life-size and could be worn. I also wanted to highlight different viewpoints of death, Some pieces portray death in a more gruesome way in order to make the audience uncomfortable however other pieces are more vibrant and have more subtle nods to the theme of death which help to rebalance the feeling. I want people to feel at peace after looking at my exhibition as it does have some very taboo and triggering themes however I wanted to approach the theme in a more soothing and tame way in order to communicate that the exhibition is more to celebrate life and the continuation of life after death instead of mourning and the loss that comes from death. I did this through the motif of flowers as flowers are not only a common symbol of life however they are often associated with more uplifting and happy emotions. The use of flowers helps to offset and balance the dark themes.