Four Ages Of Woman
Hand embroidery
200 x 140cm
The beginning of this piece was its centre, which is inspired by an ancient Mexican clay plaque named ‘The Three Ages of Men’.
In the original sculpture, three faces of fired clay represent the cycle of life and death. An old toothless man, split in two halves, encloses a young man in the middle. The divided face of a corpse frames both.
It struck me that, it being, as most things are, male-centric, there is much missing here. Pregnancy, the miracle of birth and childhood are equally important stages/ages of the cycle of life and death, particularly from the female perspective.
From the first time I came across this sculpture, I couldn’t un-see the feminine unfolding of it; the design reminded me immediately of the many folds of a vulva. Where it all starts. At the source.
The squatting figure of my piece is that of a serene inward facing woman in her liminal phase of birthing. She is drawing all her strength from deep down, her bulging pregnant belly adorned by the flower of life. The child is not yet born, but already in a state of living and dying, all at the same time. They exist together in this space as only a woman and child can.
Her head adorned with a large flower crown draws its inspiration from many different times and traditions. From secret meanings behind the individual flowers, inspired by Victorian Floriography, to the hippy flower children with wildflowers in their hair, signifying their connection to nature. Crowns made of flowers and foliage have represented love, fertility, and celebration through time and space and I have utilised this here for the same effect.
The scene is set on a large ‘suzani’ inspired wall-hanging. Suzani embroidery is a traditional craft and art form that originated in Central Asia, particularly in countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. The term ‘suzani’ comes from the Farsi word for needle - "suzan" - highlighting the importance of hand-stitched needlework. Suzanis were traditionally created as beautiful, handcrafted dowry pieces that the women in a family laboriously created together for a bride’s wedding day. Their patterns and motifs represent luck, health, long life and fertility. Vegetative motifs are often a reflection of everlasting nature. Their imagery represents notions of an ideal universe, and the unity of magic and beauty.
In my version of a Suzani, I took some of the floral motifs and let them grow over the birthing woman’s body, connecting her with all that is around her. She is in everything and everything is in her. The scene is further connected to my own story through the image of my Big Swinging Ovaries logo that make up a large part of the border decorations. Overlaying and flipping it creates a six-pointed star in it’s centre, which is a universal symbol that has been known and revered throughout both Eastern and Western religions and faiths. In Christianity it’s known as the Creator’s Star or the Star of Creation. The six points are alleged to represent the six days of the Creation and also the six attributes of God: Power, Wisdom, Majesty, Love, Mercy, Justice.
£65,000
£52,000
Exhibition pre-sale price
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