“Weaving the Care“ is a collaborative textile installation and performance, documented through photos and video by Soha Zandi. Emily Blair and I crafted a woven textile using a mix of wool, cotton, binding, handspun, and dyed yarns. This work highlights the often-overlooked realms of domestic craft, women’s labor, and “low-brow” art practices. By reclaiming these materials and the act of weaving, our goal is to elevate the domestic as an empowering source of pride for women. The act of weaving and constructing this textile object represents the interconnectedness of women’s work and the resilience they require to navigate social structures that have historically marginalized their contributions inviting the audience to reflect on how social environments shape the perception of “domestic” and the valuation of women’s work. Upon completing the woven piece, we left it behind in the performance space. This gesture acknowledges both the temporary and lasting impacts of women’s labor. We created this textile piece during the freezing Montreal winter, with temperatures reaching -20°C. This textile not only serves as an art object but also as a practical resource, offering comfort and warmth to those in need in the area. We chose a park adjacent to an organization supporting women’s programs and providing shelter to homeless women in Montreal as our location. This site, dedicated to providing security and engagement for women, aligned perfectly with the underlying themes of protection, nurturing, and strength that are at the core of this project. By Weaving the Care, we challenge traditional perceptions of domesticity and reclaim it as an act of defiance, strength, and creative agency.
