Through the exploration of the blouse, my recent work celebrates the handed toils of the garment worker, honoring the mastery of their labor. The garments become a representation and a symbol of what a person does to contribute to western society and culture.
Historically, the blouse represented more than a fashion trend or factory assembly line product. It was seen as an iconic symbol of the women’s rights movement, becoming a symbol of female independence in a time of progressive ideas. In contemporary times, it is a symbol of status, defining a person's economic and social position as well as their gender role.
Clothing, used as a skin to cover the vulnerable and fragile body, is rendered transparent in glass. The viewer can see through the superficial definitions of gender and status to a personal truth without the exterior facade society so readily judges.
The choice to fabricate and cast these objects in glass lends itself conceptually to the sociological study of these belongings and the social systems that surround them. Glass displays ghostly reminiscences, representing a personal history or memory left behind. It can also portray a lack of memory, representing the invisibility of an uncomfortable emotion. Glass becomes a window for the viewer to explore what might otherwise never be seen.