The Act of Silencing
An exhibition titled “Common Thread” begs to include a fiber element. I chose a wedding gown. Societal norms still push women to get married. This often results in women losing autonomy.Their names may change to their husbands and their careers often take a back seat. For women, marriage can result in the veiling of complex lives lived before the union.
I asked my mother, Ginny Wallace-Curry, to create this wedding gown for the exhibit. We share many common threads. She taught me to sew and bought me my first sewing machine. In addition to DNA and a shared birthday, we share common interests, political ideology and a keen sense of justice.
On the gown, images of women from the late 60s and early 70s are side by side with those of contemporary women. We invite you to contemplate the similarities and differences.The older images are fragile. The paper is thin, rips easily, and the color is faded. The older generation gives way to the new. How far have we come? Where are we going?
Please explore the work of Ginny Wallace-Curry on her website: ginnywallacecurry.com/home.html