How does working with embroidery affect the conceptual aspect of your work?
Embroidery is a feminine technique used to “decorate, to make things beautiful” but with the addition of existential themes one can change it to be a very strong expression and language. This easily occurs because of the required patience and the silence in the rite of working.
In my work the canvas became a metaphor for the skin and the thread leaves an indelible relief that can be caressed – it is like if our life experiences became precious elements embroidered onto our skin.
How did you come to making the body of work mend of me?
The needle doesn’t hurt, the needle mends, closes, sews the wounds, builds an identity, for this reason I do believe it is a perfect way to understand the sense of life. No changes come without pain. If you can overcome the pain (of a loss, a failure, a delusion), then you will have a change. My work encourages the viewer to not be afraid to pass the limit of themselves.
There is a violence to your work, can you talk about this? Have you ever had a negative response due to this?
Unfortunately my work is often misunderstood. People see women sewing themselves and assume they are inflicting pain but in fact the meaning is exactly the opposite. My women are not inflicting themselves of any pain, their expressions are serene and not suffering.
My women are “re-building” their own identities using embroidery as a feminine artistic language. Because the history of female identity ties to this technique it continues to maintain characteristics of feminine nature: the care, the waiting, and methodic work.
Your work alludes and critiques issues of body image, self-mutilation, perhaps plastic surgery. Can you speak to this interest and how it came to your work?
I have never thought of mutilations. I work on the meaning of intellectual “integrity” that goes through the body and not on self-devastation. I am not interested in plastic surgery, this is not something that concerns me and my work.
What is the next direction or step for your work?
At the moment I am working on a video where I show a woman dressed in white embroidering phrases onto her “skin” that represent predictions.
I am also creating some embroidered books that I call “ catalogues of existences.” For these I asked some people, who are close to me, to send me pictures of parts of their bodies ( scars, moles etc.) I drew them and then embroidered them.
Where can we see your work?
On my web site www.ilariamargutti.com or on my facebook page.
I also have some forthcoming catalogues which will be available in Italy in 2012.
You can also download catalogues of solo exhibitions from my website.
Until next time keep your needle threaded.
Joetta Maue is a full-time artist, writer, and curator with a focus on the art of the needle. Her most recent body of work is a series of embroideries and images exploring intimacy. Joetta exhibits her work throughout the United States and internationally, and authors the critical blog Little Yellowbird as well as regularly contributes to Mr. X Stitch.
Joetta Maue is a full-time artist, writer, and curator with a focus on the art of the needle. Her most recent body of work is a series of embroideries and images exploring intimacy. Joetta exhibits her work throughout the United States and internationally, and authors the critical blog Little Yellowbird as well as regularly contributes to Mr. X Stitch.
