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Re-Collection

The term ‘shroud’ refers to a textile that” covers or protects an object”, usually a deceased human body. Shrouds were hand woven in a 3/1 herringbone twill or plain weave and with a natural fibre such as cotton, wool, or linen, an inexpensive easy way to produce cloth. In contrast, I created a series of jacquard woven shrouds entitled Re-Collection, inspired by the Shroud of Turin. Each shroud depicts the face of a young child or young woman killed (or presumed killed) by a sexual predator in Ontario. This installation is a multi-sensory experience, asking the viewer to engage their senses - audio, tactile, verbal and visual. 

 

Each face is covered with a veil-like overlay. 

Looking across time, civilization, cultures, religions and societal norms, the veil is both an object and word imbued with the sacred and the profane, enshrouded in an ambiguous duality. We find reference in the bible to the veil, used as a metaphor for what separates us from the departed.

 

A veil is a textile that is semi -transparent through which we can see what is curtained behind it. It is often used in religious ceremonies as a means to honour a religious object, space or person.  Most often it has been worn as an article of clothing or accessory, usually by a female and is intended to cover part of the head and/or face.

 

The idea of holiness, sanctity, piousness humility and submissiveness, is often associated with the veil but it is also associated with being alluring. A veil can disguise or it can reveal; It can arouse, or can denote  social status.

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This project was made possible by the support and assistance of the:

Ontario Arts Council

Centre de Textiles Contemporain de Montréal (Suzanne Chabot, Adrien Landry, Lheila Palumbo)

Fondazione Arte Della Seta Lisio, Florence Italy

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