These Words Have Weight

Installation for WOMXN HOUSE DETROIT

"These Words Have Weight" is an immersive installation spread across the stairwell of a home in Detroit's Grandmont neighborhood, created for the 2024 cycle of WOMXN HOUSE DETROIT. Activating this transitional space, I aimed to take viewers on a journey inspired by conversations about societal expectations placed on womxn’s bodies. Amorphous forms climb the walls, resembling both human body and invasive growths.

Each form is sewn from reclaimed clothing, the different garments representing me at different stages in my life. The forms bear text—phrases spoken to me about my body —captured through screen-printing, embroidery, and crochet. Statements like "Keep your legs closed," "She only dresses like that for attention," and "What if you change your mind about having kids?" At the top of the stairs, a wax hand emerges, clinging to the final step, reflecting the emotional weight of these remarks.