Hide 2010-2012

For mum, who helped me build my armour

HIDE is a porcelain Samurai style body armour. The piece revisits themes of power and gender and explores the beautiful qualities of porcelain, which is an evocative and resonant material. The porcelain armour is a conceptual exploration of growing or making a thicker skin, for emotional protection, as well as the creation of a porcelain shell or sanctuary in which one can hide or seek protection from physical harm. The materials chosen to make Hide, such as porcelain, satin and silk ribbons add pertinence to the piece; they are quietly alluring, fragile and feminine. They create a powerful statement when used to make a body armour - a very masculine item that is worn to face battle in war zones.

materials:
cotton, satin, silk, satin ribbon
polyester boning, porcelain tiles
metal eyelets, silver thread, piping
glass beads, ballet shoes, satin stilettos