The Cabinet of Curiosities
The Cabinet of Curiosities functions very much like a compost heap - every piece of art I see myself in or encounter that brings me joy and sparks ideas gets tossed onto this steaming pile.
It sounds gross, it’s hella messy, and most of the time it doesn’t make sense - but it’s the source of all my power.
"She notes the singular importance of this particular genre for women as a “way to present a story about herself for public consumption,” a rare break from the typical objectification of the female form as depicted by the male artist."
This brief foray into the gorgeous/grotesque world of artist and fashion designer Michaela Stark will make you think about beauty in a whole new way.
"[W]e have to recognize that the thing that looks most flawed, might, in fact, be the most interesting thing in the work. So we’re not looking for the thing that functions best, because to do that is to only reward the most conventional and most familiar moves the work makes. But to try to recognize the thing that excites us the most, or intrigues us the most, which may be something the writer doesn’t even understand." - Peter Turchi
The creative, innovative magic of Sparks
"Clothes as a way of socializing that stands in for other forms of engagement. Clothes worn to substitute for speech. Clothes worn to fit in, to pass. Clothes worn in imitation of people I’d like to be like – IRL people, people in films, in books. Clothes as a search for the self other people appeared to have – though maybe it was just the way they “put themselves together.”" - Joanna Walsh
Ah, masking: that exhausting dance we do to 'pass' - as neurotypical, as straight, as 'normal' (whatever that means). It's draining, but unmasking can feel terrifying. And for those of us who didn't discover our true selves until later in life, it can be hard to know who we are without the mask.
Where next?
The Atelier - see how this inspiration shows up in my art
The Dressing Room - let’s play dress up!
Explore an enduring source of delight