Miss Kelly (Tala Cloudwatcher)> Brown

Research project: A quiet revolution: Craft in the Anthrpocene

Abstract

Can Beautiful hand-crafted objects change the world?

Looking at the intersection of craft, emancipation and ‘making', could Paulo Freire's concept of ‘emancipatory praxis' be used as a means of developing intuitive, process-led practice as liberated making in textiles, while also investigating whether beauty and function in crafts could be a way of dealing with our ‘concerns' regarding the situation of objects in the Anthropocene.

In my research I am aiming to determine whether ‘making' could be a radical act, and whether self-photography of that making, could be an archiving, excavation, and construction of self, while determining my presence as a craft artist. Embedded in my research is an understanding of epistemological-ontology and self-photography as a methodology.  My research is essentially an ontological- epistemological investigation of my practice.

My practice-based research involves an analysis of myself, within my process led craft practice. This aspect focuses on textiles, including fibre arts[1], 'folk fashion', sustainable clothing and is inspired by Japan and Japanese commitment to sustainability, and clothing that creates little waste. Inspired by women's working clothes; indigenous, nomadic and tribal, particularly the use of zero waste or minimal waste garment making. My intention is to learn from other cultures and communities, and to make a wardrobe of clothing that is not for sale, and has the quality of the 'Nouveau Bohemian'.

 This practice-based PhD utilises an understanding of Design futures and craft in the Anthropocene. It also utilises the term 'emancipatory praxis', or clothing that is not for sale, and centres around 'concern' (concern for the planet and the quality of our lives). The inspiration for my research, entitled 'a quiet Revolution: Crafts in the Anthropocene', has a multitude of inspirations, from William Morris and his maxim around usefulness and beauty, and Japanese Aesthetics, but underpinning it all is the intersection of craft, emancipation and making, and Paulo Freire's concept, ‘emancipatory praxis'. Freire writes in his book the ‘pedagogy of the oppressed ', that we could be empowered if we wrestle back our creative capacity, and ability to make, from Capitalism. Using different methodologies to create fabric, such as dyeing, screen printing, and embroidery, Sashiko stitch, Saori weaving, my intention is to create a wardrobe of clothing akin to 'folk clothing', over the course of my PhD Research and create self-photography images that both document and represent this process and experience.

This Qualitative practice-based research uses the notion of ontological-epistemology, or knowing of self, as the basis for a personal, quiet response to the situation of objects made via capitalism, and how they impinge and affect both social injustices, the now agendas of BLM and ‘climate concern'. I see ‘craft in the Anthropocene' as a possible solution for Capitalistic object making, and how it has developed in my practice and the practice of others in this moment, or period, which I am calling ‘Nouveau Bohemianism'. My research also in self-photography has an ontological-methodology to it and is built on a foundation of two decades of self-photography practice and takes inspiration from Modernist women artists, particularly their self-photographs.

[1] I will also be making of fabric by weaving, spinning, natural dyes, synthetic dyes, and screen printing.