Friday, January 29, 2021

Sovereign Intimacies Response by Madison Hanson


Image: Madison Hanson, Untitled, upcycled yarn, branch, 2020. 

For my creative response to Sovereign Intimacies, I took inspiration from iris yirei hu’s installation weaver girl limns two rainbows and Wrapped in the Cloud by Jaad Kuujus (Meghann O’Brien) produced in collaboration with Conrad Sly, Hannah Turner, Reese Muntean, and Kate Hennessy. I was especially inspired by the artists’ focus on weaving as a symbol of the strength of communities and so I made my own woven tapestry.

Image: Jaad Kuujus (Meghann O'Brien), Wrapped in the Cloud, 2018, produced in collaboration with Conrad Sly, Hannah Turner, Reese Muntean and Kate Hennessy, still from 3D animated video. Photo courtesy of the artist.


Each of the different types of yarn used in my weaving were given to me by my friends and family. The branch that the tapestry hangs from was a gift from my father. During a time when it is very difficult to be away from each other, weaving this tapestry was a chance to bring my friends together even if only symbolically.

When creating the tapestry, I used each section as a chance to think about the friend that 
contributed the yarn and to create an emotional link between the friend and that section of the tapestry. It is comforting to see yarns from the sweaters, socks, and artistic projects of my friends brought together and strengthened through this tapestry.


Madison Hanson is completing her Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Winnipeg. She has worked for many years teaching, mentoring and supporting youth locally through programs such as the Boys and Girls Club. In the early months of 2020, she also taught in South America.


Image: iris yirei hu, weaver girl limns two rainbows, 2020, mixed media installation. Photo: Karen Asher.

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