My ongoing soft tombstone project was propelled by a series of interviews I conducted with elderly queer people in an attempt to better understand the impact of the AIDs crisis. These conversations got me interested in the importance of secret possessions and underground life, as well as queer cultural inheritance.
The AIDs quilt as a symbol came up multiple times as well, and I wanted to explore the crossroads between the memorial and art object that it sat at. The materiality of a quilt, cross-bred with the appearance of the cartoonishly simple Victorian headstones I spent my high school years taking care of and preserving at a memorial office.
This series was shown at the Commons in my undergraduate thesis show “Will There Really Be a Morning?” in April 2022. Full transcripts of the interviews I conducted are available on request.
Blue Linen Headstone, 22" x 13" x 3", quilted linen stuffed with foundational queer books, 2021
Green Satin Cross, 105" x 10" x 2", satin cross stuffed with teddy bear stuffing and pebbles, 2021
Teal Fleece Headstone, 26" x 15" x 4", quilted fleece stuffed with shattered pottery, dishware, and liquor bottles, 2022
Green Nylon Headstone, 24" x 16" x 3.5", quilted nylon stuffed with potting soil, change, small plastic knick knacks and Littlest Pet Shop figures, 2022
Grey Cotton Headstone, 28" x 18" x 5", hand embroidered linen stuffed with clothes, plates cups, and cutlery, 2021
Magenta Satin Headstone, 24" x 14" x 3", quilted satin stuffed with crumpled up drawings, letters, and newspaper clippings, 2022
Blue Velour Headstone, 30" x 18" x 4", quilted velour stuffed with potting soil, root growth, leaves and grass, 2022
Two Yellow Plot Markers, 8.5” x 4” x 4”, fleece stuffed with bottle caps, candy wrappers, costume jewelry, corks, an iPhone charger, a tech deck, and change, 2022
Red Fleece Headstone, 20" x 12" x 3", quilted fleece stuffed with Mia’s mom’s pound cake ingredients and goosebumps book, 2022