.jpg)
Q. What draws you to work in your medium of choice? (Do you consider yourself a fiber artist?)
A. Yes, I work in this medium because fiber and fabric are inherently human and approachable. They have certain natural qualities that mimic and suggest organic human qualities. The drape of fabric or the natural curve of a thread fundamentally suggest, for example the mass of the body or the line of a figure. Fiber art can also continually reinvent itself, making it a constant discovery of materials and methods, and a lot of fun.
Q. If this exhibition has been shown in other places, how does it change from place to place?
A. In/Visible can be scaled to any gallery space. It is also unique to every community in which it is exhibited because the video is gathered locally. My videographer, Mark Conkle, and I interview local community members to share their stories and understand local issues and attitudes. We also record local imagery to project onto the figures, overlapping video of the indigenous environment with the local history of the movement of people.
Q. What is the single most important thing you want people to
know about your work and/or this exhibition?
A. That I feel deeply about our
common history as migrants, and that looking at commonalities helps us feel
compassion and understanding for others. .jpg)
Q. What surprised you in the making of this work?
A. I was surprised at how large the
gap can become between ideas of “us” and “them” when we think of our
differences. I was surprised and honored at
people’s willingness to trust me with their words and their stories. I hope I
have done them justice.