On Thursday, the group was very fortune to meet the artist Pia Camil and her curator and listen to them talk about Camil's items in the gallery.
Her work is really enriched with serious topics such as politics, consumerism, equality and community. Knowing, for instance that the T-shirt curtain is made up of second hand shirts that were shipped back to Mexico gives insight into problematic concepts and how the community functions. It also highlights domesticity and a sense of community, especially because of the close relationship she fosters with seamstresses around the area.
The atmosphere was very calming and soothing, since Camil’s set up of the exhibition resembled that of a dwelling, a house. The t-shirt wall effectively separated the space into sections, just like in an ordinary home, and created different rooms for different purposes. The fact that the viewers could interact with pieces such as the hammock made from jeans also generated a sense of comfort and tranquillity. The videos projected onto screens featuring a person doing everyday tasks, such as sleeping, painting nails, dancing and doing chores also reinforced this sense of normality associated with home and everyday life.
Knowing snippets of information such as jeans being made for the workforce back in the day also highlighted gender and inequality issues therefore, I began to understand more distinctly what each item symbolised based on the explanations Camil made. However, not knowing the facts also generates different feelings and understandings, which are just as valuable and important, as you go on a more independent and personal journey.
