A Spectre of Non-Presence (2019)

Sculpture. 185 x 150 x 20 cm

Organza fabric, acrylic paint, bioplastics, clothing, Caesalpinia pulcherrima seeds, Artemisia vulgaris seeds, Daucus carota L. seeds, beads.

This work was conceived as an attempt to crystallize the performance “The Weeds Became Long Graceful Grasses” into a sculpture. The story of Julia and Julieta — a central thread in that performance — is written on a long strip of fabric that runs through this work. All of the fabrics used in this piece were treated with different kinds of bioplastics, based on tapioca, potato, and corn starches. Three pieces of clothing are also present in the piece: the dress used in the performance, a skirt that belonged to my mother, and a shirt that belonged to my grandmother. The entanglements between our histories, lives, and approaches to fertility and birth control are referenced through other materials in the piece, from decorative beads to the seeds of contraceptive plants.

Installation photo 1 by Tomáš Souček.