Vintage napkins heat pressed with foil and flock material. 2023.
A forensic examination of my family’s Italian and Colombian linens as they have been passed on to me. Unearthing the evidence of a life lived by applying pressure and embossing with a flocking technique, every unraveled lace border, every stain, every embroidery motif, all traces come to the forefront. The materials dictate the composition of each piece: the source material, the napkins, interacting with the print material, and the flock fibers. The flock material contrasts with the nature of old linens, erasing any nostalgia from the process and bringing the elements of the past to the present for recognition.
Using trimmings from flock material lying around my studio, I wondered what would happen if I pressed these onto some of the linens my mother gave me. What came out was a beautiful examination of the visual language of linens and the motifs my family lived with. It made me wonder how these shaped how they perceived those moments and showed me the traces of a life lived: an unraveled lace edge, a stain. Like lifting forensic evidence. The process was very intuitive.
The napkins in “The Parties” series are displayed in a 3 x 3 grid, showcasing nine napkins at a time, with each grid featuring a specific size of napkin. This arrangement allows viewers to appreciate the subtle variations in each piece while providing an overview of “the party.” It also emphasizes that each napkin has its own unique story.
The resulting composition alludes to Modernism or Abstract art, where color and shape represent specific ideas. This time, it creates a tension between the past and the present and invites a careful examination of every detail that tells a story.
I utilized the flock material on the napkin edges to highlight the details of the lace edge and to showcase the embroidery motifs, sometimes damaged and unraveled, of each set of napkins.
Additionally, clear vinyl was used to emphasize the stains on each napkin as evidence of past events.
To recognize is defined as “to know again,” and that is precisely what I’m doing here: I recognize the traces of a life lived to know them again as it is my turn to somehow relive the parties.