Secret Pockets of Women: Kerana
Secret Pockets of Women: Kerana, 2024 is storytelling portraiture of one women's role as the mother of a werewolf. It is book arts of five pieces and one silkscreen fabric print. This is the artist proof that will be editioned.
While in Buenos Aires, I walked the neighborhood streets, went to museums, and recalled shapes. I discovered the folklore tale of the seventh son werewolf, Luison, originally a legend from the Guaraní culture that endures to this day. Intrigued, I decided to portray this story from a woman’s perspective: Luison's mother Kerana.
Secret pockets were popular in Europe from the 17th to 19th centuries when no pockets were sewn into women’s clothing, unlike men’s clothing. Men’s were seen as functional, while women’s were merely decorative. Tie-on pockets were worn close to the body and underneath clothing, allowing women to have mobility, privacy, independence, and a sense of self. I silkscreen printed on fabric with shapes that I saw in the city and museums. This fabric will be sewn for the secret tie-on pockets. These twin pockets belong to the seventh son’s mother. Housed in the twin pockets are: a soft book of portrait drawings of her sons, a cameo with an embroidered letter L, a Faja inspired picture scroll that can be worn, and a shopping list. The entire set is one artist book. This project is the first in a series of world women’s secret pockets.
MEDIA AND SIZES:
Fabric: Wearable Book Arts, Silkscreen, Relief Print, Drawing, Sewing, Embroidery (in the future)
Kerana’s Secret Pockets, Silkscreen, sewing, each pocket: 7" x 10.25" [17.8cmx27cm]
Buenos Aires Story Cloth, Silkscreen, 40"x60" [100cmx150cm]
Story Faja Scroll, Relief print, watercolor, drawing, 50"x3" [127cmx7.6cm]
7 Hijos, Fabric soft book of portraits, drawing, silkscreen cover (will be embroidered), 3"x4" [7.6cmx20.3cm]
Shopping List (will be embroidered), 3"x5" [7.6cmx12.7cm]
Cameo (will be embroidered), 1.75"x2.25" [4.4cmx5.7cm]
Published at Proyecto 'ace, Buenos Aires, Argentina in July-August 2024.