44” x 44”
Ink, acrylic, natural-dyed linen, palo santo on raw canvas
2024
Inspired by Allie Michelle’s original poem, A Poem for My Ancestors, this piece focuses on the sentiment behind the following lines: “I felt generations of women who were the invisible hands weaving their husbands dreams/ silently praying that one day they might get to live on their own.”
Using the imagery of basket-weaving that has shown up in the artist’s previous collection, Hold, the idea of women contributing to the successful futures of their husbands and partners appears to be another aspect of invisible “woman’s work” as the art of basket-weaving and other craft-based work historically falls to women, along with managing the family's schedule and maintaining the household. Women are known for having to walk a careful line between maintaining a home/work life balance that male counterparts don’t often have to experience.
The artist incorporated a basket weave pattern of 100% linen strips that were dyed in avocado skins in reference to the “woman’s work” of craft, home-making and cooking.
Both subtle and obvious messages taken from Allie Michelle’s poem are scrawled across these linen strips ("generations of women who were the invisible hands, weaving their husbands dreams, silently praying that one day they might get to live on their own") to reference the often quiet, desperate whispers and cries uttered by our women ancestors to one another.
These woven ribbons begin to loosen, ripple and fall apart as they culminate at the center of the canvas in reference to the new generation of independent women who no longer find themselves in the same positions of having to support their partners (either because they’re unwed and single, or because they find themselves in supportive and balanced partnership) and instead, are now able to weave the patterns of their own dreams.
Despite the empowering message behind Allie Michelle’s words, there’s an undertone of sadness in the way she acknowledges her current state of independence is entirely owed to the generations of women who came before her who sacrificed their own dreams for the benefit of their families. Imagery of candles with flames that appear to have been snuffed out with heavy smoke (created with palo santo) pay homage to the women who sacrificed so much.
Splashes of blue suggest the turmoil (and eventual triumph) our women ancestors endured while trying to hold onto themselves while also being in service to their families. The new generation of women Allie Michelle references have the privilege and opportunity to live life on their own terms, with or without a family, because now they have a choice.
Listen to Allie Michelle’s voice and poem, A Poem For My Ancestors, here.
Purchase Allie Michelle's book(s) here.
The VOICES (That’s What She Said) collection is a celebration of the way women have used their words and voices to empower themselves and others. This collection was exhibited as an audio-visual immersive experience at the McMaster research-based performance LIVELab theater in Hamilton, Ontario during Hamilton Arts Week in which the theater was converted into a gallery space where original works of art were displayed in tandem with streaming audio featuring the recorded voice of the original woman speaker.
The chatter of all the voices over the speakers at once created a sense of chaos and confusion, prompting attendees to ask themselves the questions: Whose voices are you giving your attention to? Whose voices deserve more or less attention? How do you discern who you’re listening to when confronted with an overwhelming amount of noise? In a time when social media and mainstream media has the potential to distract from the important messages that women are eager to share with the public, the VOICES (That’s What She Said) audio-visual immersive exhibition acts as a physical reenactment of the media platforms in which women’s voices are either being elevated or dismissed, depending on the audience.
At the risk of overpowering the valuable and impactful messages behind each woman’s monologue, speech or poetry, the artist has decided to depart from her usual format of accompanying her original pieces with poetry of her own, and instead is focusing on communicating the intention behind each work as it was inspired by the words of another woman.
The artist highly encourages the viewer to listen to the original speaker’s voice as she delivers the words she is speaking to a public audience, and where possible, links to purchase the original speaker’s work are provided. By choosing to listen to the words spoken by women through this collection and through other forms of media, the viewer/listener is contributing to elevating women’s voices. Women have value. Their words hold weight. Their experiences matter. After years of existing with the primary purpose of being “seen”, it is time for women to take up more space in platforms that allow us to be seen AND heard.
More info about this product:
This painting is stretched on 2" gallery frames. It can be hung as an exposed canvas, or framed in a floating wood frame for a more polished look. This painting comes with an artist statement and signature. If you purchase this painting you will be contacted by the artist for more information about pick-up options in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, or delivery/shipping information.
*Decorative frame not included*
Please note that the buyer is responsible for any shipping charges and/or for picking up the painting, but the artist (or gallery) will facilitate the process by obtaining quotes, packaging the product safely, and bringing it to a shipping centre at no extra cost. Reach out to the artist directly through the Contact page for any inquiries regarding this piece.
*This is an original painting by Tania LaCaria, there is only one in the world. Frame not included.*