PAST TENSE - May 2023
The background of this raw edge appliqué is material repurposed from a pillowcase that my grandmother made when I was a child.
The border is upcycled from my dad’s old pyjamas.
These fabrics symbolise loved ones and being wrapped around in comfort, warmth and support.
I found the rhythmic stitching soothing, particularly the meditative circular background pattern.
The head is made from scraps of denim.
Denim denotes strength, flexibility, durability, but also ordinariness - brain tumours do not discriminate.
The brain is made from silk I bought on my first visit to my beloved Cambodia; leftover from another project.
It is exotic, vulnerable, fragile, and beautiful. It is a shiny, delicate silver not just grey.
Great care and expertise is required.
For the space where the tumour WAS - many options were auditioned and this was the hardest design choice to make.
I tried a red and pink heart made from new fabric purchased from a local church op shop; it was bright, fun and fresh.
It really stood out - but as time went on it was too much in the foreground, too much in the present.
On seeing the work in progress my six-year-old
nephew asked me if I realised I’d put the heart in the wrong part of the body.
I tried many other shapes.
An x felt too reminiscent of procedural site marking prior to surgery.
Finally, an asterisk seemed just right - it is full of possibilities and can suggest the unknown.
An asterisk can be indicative of a star, an omission, a wildcard or a footnote (alluding to a longer story).
The selection of white thread signifies a new beginning and a blank canvas - being provided with the space, time and resources to be creative, to be different, and to be even better than before.
Surgical staples have been added as embellishments - a reminder not to take myself too seriously.
Kitsch always makes me smile.
Four pieces were made with gratitude for Professor Robert Briggs, Mr Nick Hall, and one for all of the amazing, professional, caring staff on 4 South at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
I kept one for myself.
Successful eviction of the nuisance: 26.04.2023