Hello! Since two years, I have sensitivity issues to contemporary art materials: for instance, supports such as some papers or seized canvas, and paint like acrylics, ready-made temperas and even some watercolors! They give me allergies and asthma. I can't even share a studio.
It's only since this summer that the realization of an ecological catastrophe became real : the disappearance of insects and birds is visible and heartbreaking. I understood I should completely remove from my artworks acrylics and treated surfaces for general environmental reasons. These products should not enter my house, nor somebody else's. In my embroideries, tapestries, watercolors and egg temperas, I have already removed sensitive materials.
But this idea is particularly hard because the art market (for now) despises artworks that are not "acrylic" looking. There is an overwhelming plastic-esthetics. So, to me, my move is a renunciation. Let me only say that it's much longer to create these low-impact art, than when helped with ready made products, chemicals, glues, resins, acrylics, PVA etc. That's why you can't make them very large except if you have a well funded studio or contract to low wages countries. Well, that's life!
However, things are changing in a positive way: I feel that textile art is coming back. A lot of forgotten technologies will show up and help us to create unharmful pieces of art, and I found paper and watercolors that seem safe.
In this artwork, I have deliberately chosen an anti-acrylic esthetics. It's as if I had crawled on earth and dust, scratched my knees and nails, and I had a lot of fun. It remains human sized, a bit smaller than a pareo. The handwoven canvas are embroidered, stained and basted together with threads and handspun material. I painted it with pigments and vegetable milk, an experiment I intend to push further.
Thanks for reading me!
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