Boundless Flow
Curated By Eunice Chen
Works by Simone Couto, Tianlan deng, Matthias Liechti, and W Teng
On view: February 23—March 02, 2022
CP Project Space
132 West 21st Street, 10th Floor, NY, 10011
PRESS RELEASE: CLICK THE LINK
A Day Has 12 Coats
2 InkJet “Watercolor” Print on Japanese and Silk Thread
Paper, 11.7 x 16.5 inches
Artist’s Testimonial
"Author: Anyway, Angela, what is it that you do?
Angela: I take care of life."
—A Breath of Life, By Clarice Lispector
In 2019, I stumbled upon a room filled with over 3000 membership cards belonging to immigrants who joined La National, a 150-year-old benevolent society supporting Spanish and Portuguese-speaking immigrants in Manhattan since the late 19th century. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed that the pictures of twenty-two female immigrants needed to be included in the collection. Reading through their cards, I discovered most had worked as seamstresses in the Garment District.
The garment industry was crucial in shaping New York City, creating a significant turning point in American politics and urban planning. As an immigrant myself, I am acutely aware of the opportunities and choices that I have had compared to the female immigrants whose pictures were missing. I am grateful for those women who paved the way for me today. Despite our different experiences, we are connected through labor. I cannot help but feel a deep empathy towards these women, especially as I experience the physical toll of my work on a sewing machine.
With "A Day Has 12 Coats," I aimed to commemorate the stories of these European and Latin American immigrants. Through my art, I hoped to provoke thought about personal boundaries and turn perception into knowledge. I focused on the objects, their origins, and the workspaces where these women spent their days. I wanted to highlight the power of memory, reproduction, and the labor required for a repetitive routine. My process involved printing pictures of a bustling garment shop and an early Singer Sewing Machine multiple times until they were blurred, immersing them in many colors. Then, I picked up a needle and thread to stitch a tribute to these women and their legacy.
Being an immigrant myself, I often reflect on my journey and the struggles faced by those who came before me. The absence of female immigrants in the La National membership cards served as a poignant reminder of the determination and resilience of our predecessors. Their contributions to society and the garment industry shaped the cultural landscape of New York City, and it is an honor for me to pay tribute to them through my art. Through A Day Has 12 Coats, I hope to shed light on the often-overlooked stories of these women and inspire others to contemplate the interconnectedness of our past and present. I am grateful for the opportunity to use my creativity to honor these remarkable individuals. I hope my art will be a permanent reminder of their enduring impact.
