Borders #3 - Did you really burn your bra?

"Constrain" - cotton corset of the late 1960s /early 1970s ,
collage lining, vintage tin badge. hand and machine stitching , photo transfer

The late 1960s and 1970s were heady days for young women.... never before had the voice of women been heard so loudly and so strongly. I wanted to capture a bit of the spirit of that 'burn your bra" period with Corset no. 2 in my series for the "Crossing Borders" exhibition.

Corset lining in progress - photo transfer and applique

Corset work in progress - reverse applique ready to stitch and stamping

I used some original vintage fabric from a curtain of the period and revers appliqued the floral fabric in some of the panels of the corset. Inside the corset, the lining depicts some of the recorded visual history of the protest marches of the time. The black and white photo transfer attempts to project a nostalgic feel to this art corset.

Corset work in progress - reverse appliqued stitching completed/ cutting edges still to be done.

Artist statement: Considerable achievements towards gender equality have been made throughout history. However, the 'societal' borders and limitations set by sex stereotypes, rigid gender roles and prejudices remain firm. The appalling statistics of domestic violence , the unequal treatment of female leaders, the growing demand for extreme cosmetic surgery, the increase in the incidence of eating disorders, and the lack of salary parity are real. The three corsets are symbols of the cultural and attitudinal barriers to true gender equity.

Corset series displayed for critique :" Borders- Restrict, Constrain, Silence "

Crossing Borders exhibition is currently showing at Timeless Textiles Gallery, Newcastle NSW Australia.

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