Body of Text

2024

Sculpture of cheesecloth, felt, and graphing paper

Artist Statement

Body of Text is a piece that is bound on and by a grid. The body is located on grid-folded paper, and encased in cheesecloth, which has a grid-like pattern on it. The "face" of the body includes objective information, like height, hair, and eye color.

Meanwhile, the "innards" contain subjective information. Each body part has corresponding experiences and commentary about it written on grid paper and stuffed into the body.

Body of Text represented my approach to the "text as image" prompt. Working with graphic design, text follows a linear and predictable pattern: all text exists on a grid. This form and function of text, and how it may be used to communicate "subjective" or "objective" information, also provoked me to think about the subjective and objective meanings our own bodies take on.