I drew us a lukewarm bath (2022-2023)
Chiffon, crystal organza, pvc fabric, embroidery thread, plexiglass, concrete, and artificial pearls. Dimensions vary per piece.
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I drew us a lukewarm bath results from the creative and research engagement of artist Sarah Zanchetta with one of nature's forbidden elements: poison ivy. For a year, the artist studied the plant, foraged for it, and created dye baths with it. As it cannot be fostered within the walls of this exhibition space, poison ivy is brought to the audience through textural and poetic evocations with shimmering crystal organza fabric and hand-sewn gloves. Zanchetta's living archive is on view throughout the Summer. Explore the beauty and potential of this remarkable exploration.
This exhibition is produced as part of the requirements for the MVS Studio degree at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto.
- above text by the Art Museum at the University of Toronto
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Utopic.
I was asked to imagine what my work would be in an idealised setting, where everything could be possible.
In this dream state, it would be you growing in the space, surrounding, wandering and covering the fabric which we created together.
The audience would be allowed to sit on the floor next to you, to understand the risk that reaching out their hand would have, and the ability to enjoy this tension.
However, utopic does not exist here.
You are not allowed in this exhibition space, no plants, no fire, no wind, and no water.
Our fabric has moved home; awaiting something a new, not held within the boundaries of the never-ending bureaucracy.
Yet the deadlines and the exhibition continue, I had to make something to fill this space that could connect back to you.
How could I speak to and for everything we created, that could stand in this room and have your presence, as if this imposter was the real thing. However, it could never be you, poison ivy.
So instead, I will bring the audience into an artificial mirage of a moment, to where most the creation of our kinship took place.
Where our relationship was mediated by gloves and tepid water, sunlight, cool wind, and the colours of leaves.
A chance to spill these moments into this exhibition, to invite the audience into the water, and into the kinship.
To capture the pause between your poison flooding my gloves and scarring my skin. The pause between words as I speak your name in conversation. The pause between not knowing and beginning to understand.
Pausing here, at the moment when I drew us a lukewarm bath.
- text for this artist statement is pulled from a larger text titled "sunlight tepid water and insoluble poison" which was my Master of Visual Studies qualifying paper. To read this larger text, please click here.
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