A Thousand Stars, Hearts, and Scars, 13 x 11 ft., hand-dyed cotton, chenille, 2020-2023
A millefleur pattern of woven stars, buttons, needles and hearts aid the creation of unicorns in this tapestry. The unicorn, a familiar woven symbol, is reimagined with nostalgic and contemporary icons and materials. Bleeding warp colors contrast a densely woven damask chenille, alluding to velvet coloring pages. From the core of its construction to the narratives it presents, contradictions fill the page. Colorful darkness, uncanny cuteness, and tender violence emerge as a common thread. Unicorns that we find in stores and in our sticker packs embody these contradictions in subtle ways. A backpack, sewn from the skin of a unicorn, cries. A unicorn cake, somewhere among the stars, helplessly awaits the next slice of a knife. Playfulness teetering on aggression is a tactic of captivation, allowing unicorns to reflourish and thrive at this present moment. This allure invites a dangerous indulgence of unicorn consumption and engagement. Without engagement, it’s possible that unicorns, in their complex and absurd present nature, could then be at risk of extinction. What then is the response to their large eyes and colorful fur when they ask: will you play with me?
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