Maison of Metal
Dowd 3rd floor Gallery
Exhibition Dates: Nov 1-14, 2024
Opening Reception: Nov 4, 5:30 pm
Artist's Statement
“Maison of Metal” is a collection of welded steel works that reimagine the boundaries of femininity and fashion through a fusion of organic design and industrial materiality. The exhibition reshapes garments and symbols associated with femininity and womanhood, from familiar everyday pieces to iconic forms like the American bullet bra, highlighting the ways society often evaluates women through external markers.
Each piece in “Maison of Metal” speaks to the nuanced and layered experience of identity. 고무신의 갈망 ("Gomusin’s Longing"), my first metalwork in this collection, incorporates my Korean heritage to reference the ongoing struggle for women’s equity. Inspired by the gomusin, or rubber shoes, traditionally worn by Korean women, this piece embodies a quiet resilience against restrictive societal expectations. As the gomusin allowed women to tread forward in their everyday lives, Gomusin’s Longing reflects the tension between cultural roots and the universal desire for equality, merging a specific cultural artifact with the global pursuit of gender equity.
Central to this collection is the piece “Womanhood without the Weight” a reflection on the literal and figurative burdens often associated with the notion of womanhood. Crafted from metal to convey a sense of heaviness, this work invites viewers to consider both the visible and invisible weights women carry—whether through the expectations embedded in fashion or the complex roles they navigate daily. Through its materiality and form, this piece explores the paradox of strength and vulnerability, questioning the societal norms that define womanhood by external constraints.
Through these sculptural works, “Maison of Metal” juxtaposes strength and delicacy, reflecting the multifaceted essence of femininity. Each metal garment holds a story of resilience, shedding light on how women are frequently reduced to their outward appearances. This exhibition aims to reclaim and redefine these associations, celebrating the resilience and intricacies of womanhood while challenging the limitations placed upon it.