Crazy 2009
Composite work on prepared Tyvek
230 cm x 420 cm pigment print on prepared Tyvek, varnished, 3000 nickel plated brass eyelets.
Crazy is a tribute to my Canadian heritage. My great grandmother made quilts - the traditional creative expression of women of that time. The quilt is symbolic of warmth and comfort. Underneath the quilts of my childhood we felt secure and loved. Her exquisite creations were made from the 'fabric' of her life - silk dresses, exotic and simple at the same time. I inherited one quilt at the time of my Mother's death, a so-called 'crazy' pattern that has been a source of inspiration to me and a strong link to my Canadian roots.
In 'Crazy' I took the 'fabric' of my life, 1500 photographs of people and places and 'stitched' them together using the same pattern she used. I brought the tools of our time into the construction - plated eyelets, Tyvek, pigment ink jet colour; a contemporary work paying homage to my past.
Our lives are full of memories; places and people who have made us who we are. From the opposite sides of our experiences we can be overwhelmed by the emotional weight of our lives when we look at them closely – but as we get older and gain perspective it is not the details that matter anymore but the overall richness of the tapestry of our lives in all their textures and colours that release us from the obsessive concerns of our youth.
