Consumption

Non Textile Garment, February 2024

preserved citrus, knit copper wire, galvanized steel, thermoplastic

To be a woman is to be consumed. Made palatable, made to please and give herself to others. Across eras and cultures, the dominant view has often been that ‘the body of woman is created by nature especially for the enjoyment of men’ (Jean-Jacques Rousseau, enlightenment thinker and author of the Social Contract). This piece is about consumption, self protection and exposure, independence and intimacy.

There is a long history linking women and fruit, oranges in particular. Oranges were the sacred fruit of Venus, goddess of love, because the experience of love is both ‘bitter and sweet’ (An idea referenced in the book of emblems “Malus Medica,” by Andrea Alciati, 1621). Oranges are also objects of desire (in the Garden of Hesperides) and temptation (in the Garden of Eden) throughout history and myth. Oranges are fleshy, even sensual, to eat, and artists often use them to suggest intimacy, desire, and fertility. In preservation, this delicate and soft organic form is made hard, creating a shell that protects the body and defends the woman from those who would consume her physical body. Yet, the oranges remain somewhat sheer, suggesting sensual, fleshy, and carnal desire. The wearer requires assistance to put on this piece, an allusion to the balance of independence and reliance. Both self protection and control over exposure are only granted once they’re given up by allowing someone else to dress the wearer, an act of trust and intimacy. The knit copper relates historic women’s textile work to a visual chainmail, linking femininity and self protection again, while the knit maille’s sheer quality continues to intimately expose the wearer and her body.

The silhouette of this dress references historic women’s dress of Europe from the 17th-19th centuries; time periods in which the female form was exaggerated in dress, and beauty and desirability were valued over functionality or comfort. This includes references to the crinoline and bustle styles ranging from the 1850s-1890s, Victorian corsetry of the mid 19th century that was molded to the body, wasp-waisted, and tightlaced, often strapless, as well as plunging Rococo necklines that often revealed the bust. The cinched waist, inflated hip, and accentuated bustline create a hyper-female form inspired by these silhouettes while limiting mobility. The hollows/dimples at the front allude to the hip bones and further emphasize the female form under the clothing. Though corsetry has fallen out of fashion since the 19th century, expectations of the female form have only become more difficult to fit into as we fight our own bodies rather than the clothes that used to pad us out. This reinforces the forced vulnerability and lack of independence women have often held through their clothing.