Ann Hamilton

'indigo blue' 1991, 2007

"How is it that materials carry an embodied knowledge?"

For this piece of work Hamilton became interested in the early economic histories, the fact that indigo was the first cash crop that was cultivated. She began researching the history of the colour indigo and its use. How the meaning of the colour changed through time. From highly unique wallpaper to work clothing. She became interested in using work clothing that came from actual labouring class. How is it that materials can evoke presence of something that is not stated. 

What is very interesting for me is that Hamilton decided to stack the workers clothes on top of each other, that takes time and patience and links really well with the clothes and where they come from. It was important for her the way the clothes being touched and handled. It was part of the meaning of the project. The embodied quality of material as the blue cotton and the form of the shirts and the pants themselves, and their reference to the labouring class. Hamilton had a layer of pants and a layer of shirts places on top of each other honouring an individual history within a collective. 

I feel as though this piece has some overlapping with my performance piece, where i unpicked a cardigan, focusing on the process. The process for Hamilton was getting the workers clothes as well as the repetitive process of folding and stacking the shirts and pants on top of each other. In a way she identifies with the workers through the process and labour of folding and stacking, the same way i identify with the cardigan through unpicking and how the structure of it reflects how i feel inside - all tangled up. So by unpicking the cardigan its like im unpicking myself. untangling myself.

I love how it was important for Hamilton how the clothes were handled, she didn't just pile them as they were brought to her, but thought really carefully how to interact with them. Folding them in the same way each time to have consistency and repetition. i handle my carding in a particular way as well. I decided to unpick it myself, with my own hands, really interacting with the threads, the structure of it and the smell of perfume that still lingers. 

I see one difference though between this work and the performance i made. Hamilton is successful in interacting with the audience through her art, however i feel that my performance is more about my own experience and it might be hard for people to relate and understand it. 

Time lapse: link

~ Ev