This marks the third year that Jennifer Ramirez and I collaborated to create a piece for SNAG’s annual Exhibition in Motion. This year, we pushed ourselves further than ever in our collaborations, with the added challenge of incorporating my typical medium (aluminum, designed in Rhino, cut on a CNC router) with hers (textile techniques for jewelry/adornment).
The theme of 2018’s EIM was “Defense.” We created a piece that fit the prompt with our own addition of “watching one’s back.” This piece is created with abstracted floral motifs that occur both in aluminum and in the plush quilted fabrics that adorn the most vulnerable areas of our backsides: the neck, lower back, behind the knees, and Achilles tendon. The flora referenced in the metal shells are invasive ground coverings as well as carnivorous plants. The quilted petal-like forms are both shimmery and sensual, causing the work to be highly ornamented and feminine. While this piece is fun to wear and attention grabbing, there is an emotional and physical weight to donning the work.
Rachel Suzanne Smith 