Amelia - Materialistic Ideas

02/24/2026

These past few Sundays, I just spent sewing together more of the webbing which is why I didn't have any new updates or photos to show. I did start using the sewing machine rather than hand sewing which did significantly speed up the process. Once finishing the webbing I began nailing it to the walls. Once that was finished I have spent these last few days pinning more clothing onto the other clothes.

Originally I planned to have the clothes only go up to 6'5" with the drop ceiling to give a claustrophobic feel. However after realizing the height of the door was taller and talking with Ashley and other students, I decided it would be better to continue adding the clothes to grow taller.

At this point I am finishing filling in the whole on the walls as well as giving the 'top line' more of an organic shape rather than having the clothes end in a straight line. I am also going to be adjusting the lights to see how I would like them. 

I also received comments that I should try to continue the clothing all the way up. I think I would like to see what it would look like with the drop ceiling, but if I choose not to go that route I will try and slowly add more clothing going up throughout the time the installation is up.

sewing with machine

webbing nailed on the wall

moving clothes up higher

^ example of a finished section

02/01/2026

    Currently there is not much to update on, except that I have chosen to do the clothing room as a continuation of my BFA work. I have begun sewing some clothes together to create the 'webs' we discussed. I think at this point I am just trying to decide if I am going to want to try and fill the entire room, or somehow make two false walls, or at least framing for two walls, to make the gallery space appear smaller. I am unsure of how to successfully do that. I wondered if I made framing and then took muslin or large sheets to cover the wall and attach the clothing to that (either before or after attaching it to the wall. I also have to take in consideration the price of wood or if there would be enough available in the wood shop and I don't necessarily have the funds to buy all the wood myself. So it could be cheaper to just buy more clothes (from second hand stores) and try posting again for more donations. I think I just worry about running out of clothes.

I would also like to make a drop ceiling of some sort and am trying to decide if it should just be a dark large sheet which I attach some clothing to or if it should be completely covered.

At this point I am going to continue making the 'webbing'. Since a large part of this installation won't be able to be worked on until I am in the space I will also start sketching out my ideas for my small world and getting those up.

laid out webbing ft. my cat

sewing together with embroidery floss (repurposed friendship bracelet string)

This is developing in a strong direction, and the webbing is already doing the conceptual work it needs to do. Rather than filling the entire room, I’d encourage you to think about filling the walls and ceiling instead. Let the installation wrap the viewer without completely occupying the floor.

Treat the walls and ceiling as continuous surfaces where the clothing webs accumulate, overlap, and connect. This will create immersion while still allowing the viewer space to move and breathe within the room.

You don’t need to build false walls for this. Using the existing architecture and letting the clothing become the structure will keep the focus on material and labor rather than construction.

For the ceiling, a lowered or darkened fabric plane with clothing integrated into it could help compress the space without overwhelming it.

Keep focusing on producing webbing now. Repetition and density across vertical surfaces will matter more than adding new elements.

You’re on a good path — commit to coverage on the walls and ceiling, and let restraint on the floor give the piece clarity and control.

P.s. I would not waste floss on sewing. Use cheap string and lets get you the pins in the am so you know where they are. Remind me!

01/24/2026

Artist Inspiration

    Guerra de la Paz

    Guerra de la Paz is a collaboration between two artists, Alain Gueraa and Neraldo de la Paz. I am drawn to the themes and messages they explore within this work. I also appreciate how they allow the materials they use (in this case clothes) to speak for itself.

 

    Chiharu Shiota

    I am constantly drawn to the visuals of Chiharu Shiota's work. I appreciate the organized visual chaos she creates. I am also drawn to the materials she uses and the ways in which she uses them.

Carolee Schneemann

I discovered the second image first and was immediately drawn to it. After trying to figure out the artists I found that it must be the recreation of a performance piece done by Carolee Schneemann (as seen in the first image). 

Ideas/Sketches

    For this project I have two main ideas I am circling between, both of which fit in with my portfolio.

    Idea #1:

    My first idea is an expansion of my BFA work. This work focus on the environmental impact of fast fashion and the textile industry. Within my BFA work I created a large tower of clothes, I hoped that could represent the overwhelming waste that we create but are lucky to not have to address. When thinking about this idea originally, I thought it would be visually interesting as well as push the feeling of overwhelm further if I created an entire room covered in this clothing. This idea was not possible during an exhibition where I was sharing space with other artists, but having the THIS gallery space would now give me this opportunity.

I would like to cover the entire room in clothing. This means wall to wall and the floor and a drop ceiling. I think taking large sheets of fabric and attaching the clothes to these would be the best method. I would also like light to be apart of this work in some way, possibly just having small slivers of light shining through the ceiling.

The aspect of this idea I am most concerned about is having enough clothes. I currently still have a large amount of clothes, however a lot of it is cut up and I worry about running into the problem of repeating the same patterns and fabric too many times. A solution I thought would be to make the room feel much smaller than it actually is by using the large sheets of fabric to create false walls (possibly needing a wood structure for some stability).

    Idea #2

    

    My second idea is an expansion of my work from my Honors capstone work in Fall of 2024. I wanted to create a piece that visually expanded on the work I have already created while exploring a new aspect of the theme this body of work surrounds. When making this body of work I was interested in created an piece I felt represented the way anxiety can lead me to spiral, but I didn't end up getting around to this. I would like to create this now. I want to create a large scale installation that feels like the inside of my head, specifically with decision making. I want to make this work chaotic and messy, using simple materials such as paper, markers, crayons, and string. I would cover the floors, walls, and make a drop ceiling from a large paper (possibly butcher paper). Then fill the walls with my own version of mind maps and thoughts, etc. Similar to one of the other pieces in my exhibition, I was considering making this piece interactive and allowing people to come and write on the walls as well.

However, I have noted and after talking with Ashley that this piece could also be very successful as my 'site specific' installation in my bedroom. I do agree with this and think that could give me the opportunity to experiment more with having string run across the room as the work would be viewed through my own documentation of it rather than the viewer actually needing to walk through the work itself.

Amelia, this is a strong and thoughtful set of ideas, and your artist references are well chosen. You’re clearly thinking about material, scale, and immersion in ways that align well with contemporary installation practices.

Both directions you’re considering make sense conceptually, but they operate very differently in terms of space and feasibility. The clothing installation feels especially strong for the THIS gallery. It builds directly from your BFA work, uses material as meaning rather than illustration, and takes advantage of the opportunity to fully surround the viewer. Your instincts about compression, false walls, and limiting the scale of the room are good, and those strategies could help manage repetition while intensifying the feeling of overwhelm.

The anxiety / mind-map installation is also compelling, but I agree with your observation that it may function more successfully as a site-specific, documentation-based work rather than a public gallery installation. That idea relies heavily on personal interiority and process, and placing it in a private space could allow you to push it further without needing to manage viewer flow or durability.

At this point, I’d encourage you to choose one direction for THIS gallery and commit to refining it. Think about which idea:

• depends most on the physical room,

• allows the material to do the conceptual work,

• and can be fully realized within the time and resources available.

Whichever direction you choose, focus on restraint and clarity. Let fewer decisions do more work, and keep asking how the viewer encounters the space physically and emotionally. You’re asking the right questions—now it’s about narrowing and committing so the installation can fully resolve.