Process pics

My imagery for this project is inspired by conversations around the church, hospitality and homosexuality.  I will be attempting to wear my convictions when this fabric is made into a dress.  The dominating image is that of a chalice which, in the negative spaces of stem, show two like-faces confronting each other; representing the likeness in gender among homosexuals who are in partnerships, as well as echoing the biblical scripture, 'God created man in His own image'  Genesis 1:27

I am currently going to a Baptist church here in Vancouver where we are in an active and serious dialogue about this topic.  I am extremely convicted about the importance of equality for gays in the church (and everywhere), and am feeling especially overwhelmed lately by the misinterpretation of the bible regarding the topic.

I pounded flowers (representing hospitality) into the fabric to achieve texture and later dyed it in potassium to show the contrast of the chalices (silk) against the negative space (rayon).  It is no coincidence that the faces are in the 'negative' space.

I later rusted the fabric with nails and found objects.

I then created a silkscreen of a chain and discharged the image on top, sometimes purposefully placing them across the mouths and eyes of the faces.  I'm not extremely satisfied with the obvious image of a chain for the purpose of representing bondage, burden and restriction.  I usually like to use more subtle imagery.  For this purpose it works though since, when it is made into a dress, it will not be as obvious what they are.

In some places I added chains with a foiling technique using gold foil.