A Space to Hold

In A Space to Hold I work with vessels through which I explore themes of care and how the shape of objects can create an emotional or bodily response in the person who encounters it. To me, the vessel embodies care in such a gentle way, as the walls create an empty space, with the potential for something to be held, carried or nurtured.

My starting point was the essay The Carrierbag Theory of Fiction by Ursula K. Le Guin. She writes about human origin and how we have all been told the story of survival through violence and dominance, of the spears and the swords. Instead Le Guin proposes a different story, one about the container and us humans as gatherers. In the book the vessel becomes a symbol of an alternative narrative about human nature. One that does not begin with weapons and domination, but a story about care, community and everyday life.

In my project, I use the images and feelings the book awakened in me and translate them into material form. I have worked with large, open and inviting shapes, as well as more closed and narrow forms, exploring how different bodies carry different stories, and how their shared presence can create a dialog that changes the overall narrative.