RachelSelekman,FaceShield1(ERA),2019,wateringcanremnant,fabric,thread,beads,
mixedmedia,interchangeablefabricbanners,andmetalbase,73x23x13½inchesWithoutapreconceivedplanformylibraryresidency,Istartedmyresearchbylookingatbooksonembroidery,havingrecentlystartedincorporatingembroiderystitchesinmanyofmycollages.IbecameenthralledwiththebookEncyclopediaofEmbroideryfromtheArabWorld,aptlynamedforitsextensive,deepdiveintothiscraft,whichlikemanycraftshasbeenemployedworldwideandforcenturies.Iliketothinkofembroidery,anembellishmenttechniquethat’salsousedformendingfabric,asauniversallanguagethatconnectspeopleandcultures,anideaIfinddeeplyresonanttodaywhenweliveinsuchdivisivetimesthataimtoseparateusversusuniteus.Continuingmyresearch,Istartedlookingatbooksonshieldsandarmor.Shields,inparticular,wereofinterestbecausetheysparkedmanyassociationsformeandledmyactivistgroup,WeMakeAmerica(WMA),tomakepaintedcardboardshieldsforNYC’sMarchforOurLives,thenationwideguncontrolrallyorganizedbytheMarjoryStonemanDouglasHighSchoolstudentsonMarch24,2018.WhenWMAwaspreparingfortherallyanddecidingonourvisualcampaign,Iwasthinkingaboutshieldsmetaphorically—ifonlywecouldgiveouryouthshieldstoprotectthemfromgunviolence.Ifonly,likesuperheroes,wecouldallhaveshields.Ifirstmadealittlepapermaquetteofashieldtoshowtothegroup,andthenyoucanseeinthephotosfromthemarch,howtheywererealizedfortherally,witheachWMAmemberpaintingthefrontofthemastheywishedandthebackofthemallwithyellowbackgroundsandthewordVOTEinblack,promotingthemeansbywhichwecanparticipateinourdemocracyandhaveourvoicesheard—attheballotbox.
Theideaofshields,bothasobjectsofprotectionandasassertionsofstrength,stuckwithme.Butratherthanthinkingaboutthemregardinggunviolence,Iwantedtoworkwiththeminrelationshiptowomen’slives,feelingintenselyhowmyrights—women’srightsandthosewhoidentifyaswomen—arecurrentlyunderattack.
RachelSelekman,papermaquetteforshieldWeMakeAmericaattheMarchforOurLivesinNYC,March24,2018.
PhotobyGeorgedeCastro-Day.
Returningtomystudio,Isetouttocreatemyfirstsculpturalshield,inkeepingwithmysignatureapproachofusingfabric,foundobjects,mixedmedia,andembellishment.Ifoundinaboxofwateringcanscraps,havingusedwateringcansandpartsoftheminmanyprevioussculptures,thecentralelementofFaceShield1(ERA),thetopofawateringcanwithaneye-shapedopening.Immediately,Iheldituptomyface,lookedthroughtheopening,anddecidedtomakeafaceshield.Iwantedittobecelebratory,exuberantlikemanyofthecostumesIseeduringBrooklyn’sWestIndianDayParadeonLaborDay,andIwantedittoincludemessages,soIconceivedofthe“banners,”embellishedfabricelementsthathangdownfromthecircularpart.ThefirstbannerImadewastheEqualRightsAmendment(ERA)one.Canyoubelieveinthetwenty-firstcenturythatwomenstilldon’thaveconstitutionalprotection?Well,it’stimetogettheERAbackinthespotlightandgetitpassed.WithNevada(2017)andIllinois(2018)recentlyratifyingit,onlyonemorestateisneededandthenitgoesbacktofederallawmakers.InadditiontotheERAbanner,IalsohavethecurrentlanguageoftheERA(it’schangedalittlesinceitwasfirstintroducedbyAlicePaulin1923)infourofthewallcubbies.ThesecondbannerImadeistheVOTEoneandIhaveplanstomakeafewmore.Thebannerssnaponandoffofthefaceshield,sothemessagingisinterchangeable.Movingforward,myplanistomakemoreshields,full-bodyonesandmorefaceshields,andconsiderusingtheminperformativewaysinadditiontoasstaticobjects.
RachelSelekmanisavisualartistbasedinBrooklyn.RecentexhibitionsincludeasoloshowatRosemontCollegeinRosemont,PA,andgroupexhibitionsattheInvisibleDogArtCenter,Brooklyn;MarcStrausGallery,NYC;BrooklynAcademyofMusic;GalerieAurelScheibler,Berlin;andLesleyHellerWorkspace,NYC;tonameafew.Selekman’sworkisinnumerouspublicandprivatecollections,includingtheMuseumofModernArt,Microsoft,theUSStateDepartment,andMontefioreMedicalCenter.CommissionedpiecescanbefoundatJohnsHopkinsHospitalinBaltimoreandtheVirginiaMedicalCenterinCharlottesville.SelekmanreceivedherBFAfromtheMarylandInstituteCollegeofArtandherMFAfromtheSchooloftheArtInstituteofChicago.Visitherwebsite:www.rachelselekman.com.
