Art Armor is a series of handmade, one-of-a-kind art garments made to measure from 100% reclaimed materials for fat, disabled, and trans community members. A caretaker model allows for art object stewardship without ownership or financial obligation.
Images depict Zach (they/them), a tall fat person with thin purple hair, wearing an abstract, hand painted, pink and colorful, quilt coat and makeup mirroring the petal patterns on the garment.
As an Autistic person with alexithymia (emotion blindness) I wanted an alternative way to model and study feelings. Traditional tools like the emotion wheel, that encase lived experience in two dimensional planes and linguistic cul de sacs, do not map to my neurodivergent experience. But more than just creating a way for me to frame and communicate my experience of emotions this project also gives me a vehicle for investigating how others experience emotions.
For years I was tricked into the idea that real art is in art museums, real artists were the ones with galleries, selling big. Sometimes I still fall back into that mindset. But that hierarchy is yet another symptom of white supremacy, of patriarchy, of classism. Art Museum from Bed is a new/old way of exhibiting work and I believe it is vital not just to the future of my personal practice but also how to think about art objects' role in society.
They function as histories. Made in my home, hosted in yours, made by my hands, held in yours. They function as vessels. Made from the tailpipe of abundance, made from wasted time. They function as bodies. Made from gut punch and wet eyes, made from loud brain and heat.
2023 - Present
Art School from Bed is a web series teaching art history and technique by and for disabled, chronically ill, mentally ill, fat, and neurodivergent people. While currently only short videos the first season of longer form videos is in the planning stages. Each episode will feature an example of an artist working currently or historically, connect their practice conceptually to an example project, and guide participants through the project giving examples of alternative modes of creation. Participants will be invited to share their creations on the community Discord, via dedicated hashtags, and to the project email. Shorter episodes will then be created to review and share back community contributions, specifically pointing out where each project made innovative and unique choices.
For all videos visit my Instagram