Dia Bassett
I discover beauty among the messy remnants of forgotten clothing and linens. Using the markers of domestic life as a catalyst to create art, I weave, crochet, sew, and wrap fiber to make small, framed fiber pieces, large installations and wall pieces. These explorations have also taken form as sculptures, performances, and wearable art. When performing, I enmesh my body in fiber material or allow tendrils to respond to my movement. As I translate the complex relationships between seemingly mundane materials and our bodies, I transform linens, thread, and worn clothing while envisioning their past stories. Being sourced from my own collection and from family and friends, the fabrics are imbued with history and personal meaning, linking them with time, movement, and memory. Experimenting with fabrics in varying degrees of density, I contrast loosely rendered weaves and crochet loops with refined ones. Through this interplay of slack and taut fabric, I see how the irregularities and imperfections of fiber's vulnerability and strength become emblematic of women’s bodies.
