Momento

 

For my momento piece I chose to represent the memory of me getting attacked by a dog when I was three years old. The attack tore the right side of my cheek and upper lip which required over 150 stitches and emergency plastic surgery to fix my face. Today I am left with only a small visible scar. I chose this memory because it is definitely a part of who I am. Instead of focusing on the negative and gruesome aspects of my attack, I chose to represent it as something of beauty because I actually like my scar and think it gives me character. I also don't look back and picture an awful experience because I love dogs and being attacked by one has never changed that. I used leftover fabric from a ripped dress I had; which is significant because the dress was broken but I was able to repurpose it and make it into something new. I cut it into circles and dipped the pieces into melted paraffin wax in several layers, which built a skin like appearance on the fabric. As the pieces hardened I used my hands and a bowl to shape them into slightly rounded circles. I glued them together, and decided to stitch the piece to represent the stitches. I chose silver thread so it would not stand out too much from the white and gray patterned fabric. I wanted the piece to be subtle and detailed; dainty. The cut out holes represent the indented scar. Overall I like the form of my piece as well as its visual impact and weight.

 

 

Some In Process Pictures:

Final Pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Personal response to Inventory/The Tokens by Christopher Turner:



 

 

 

On Longing Notes: 

• The body is the primary mode of perceiving scale.
• Capacity of objects serve as traces of authentic experiences. 
• The souvenir reduces the public, the monumental, and the three-dimensional into the miniature... that which can be enveloped by the body.
• Nostalgia cannot be sustained without loss.
• To have a souvenir of the exotic is to possess both a specimen and a trophy.