Own work - textile/fabric pieces

My first piece of work for this project is largely inspired by the use of fabric seen in the work of Emily Miller, and also by Méret Oppenheim's "Object", which was nicknamed "Le Déjeuner en fourrure" by André Breton and is known in English as known in English as "Fur Breakfast" or "Breakfast in Fur". 

With an underlying theme of femininity and an obvious sexual pun, the use of fur in the work carries the same connotations as Miller's "X Chromosomes" sculpture.

Oppenheim's "Object" ("Le Déjeuner en fourrure").


I chose to use similarly tactile fabric for my own work, as it carries connotations of femininity and softness, but decided to combine it with functionality and practicality (again, something seen as typically "male").

I chose to use fleece fur for its softness, and chose these colours because they are highly contrasting, and whilst pink is often associated with femininity, black is often seen as a more "masculine" colour. 

I made two large cushions, one pink with a red zip, and the other black with a pink zip. Textiles and fabrics are often seen as a craft and therefore a "woman's art", but these are also practical and can be used, rather than just being "something pretty" to look at. However the fact that they can be unzipped and used is also a subtle comment on how women can be treated in much the same way - as an object, something to be used by men.