Laid to Waste

"Laid to Waste" was my first chance to engage with the site's integrity and materials. Springs Industries generously donated a "bale" of "hard threads," by-products of weaving on industrial looms. I found these soft, curly threads, with their scent of unprocessed cotton, incredibly appealing. Their natural white color contrasts sharply with the dusty, aged surroundings of the abandoned mill. I spent two weeks installing the work in the weaving room, where the echoes of past labor infused my work with history and a sense of nostalgia. Each night, I left with vivid images of women working quietly amid the noise of the looms, breathing in fibers and exhaling their lives.