Sausage Drag

"Sausage Drag"

I stuffed pantyhose with Polyfil and spray painted the tips with fluorescent pink. I then added tinsel to the pink tips and capped them with a spotted pantyhose.  I used hand dyed yarn to give the tubes "camel toes."  They are hung from a metal ring that has been wrapped in yarn.

I was thinking about Drag Queens after watching RuPaul's Drag Race. I began thinking about the body as a simple form that is gendered by decoration and ornamentation. The phallic forms are created by materials that are designated to women: yarn, pantyhose and tinsel.  I used the decoration and material to gender the original masculine form.

Pantyhose Installation Phase 2

I've been in my new studio at Penn State for about a week now and have gotten the time and space that I needed to start sewing pantyhose to rope. I used untreated rope that is commonly used for household things, such as tying up branches. I came to school with many pairs of pantyhose, but there weren't enough to make as many strands that I felt necessary. I ended up buying packs at Wal-Mart because there are only a few thrift stores here. I'm hanging these 5 strands in a room with a loop hook, tying it with a fisherman's knot. In the front of the room I'm placing a 1940's fan in front of the hanging strands...making them dance.


Mookie making my life more difficult.

Pantyhose Installation Planning

I will be leaving for grad school at Penn State in less than a month. I've been trying to gear my mind away from two dimensional work and towards sculpture. I'm inspired by everyday objects that reflect a behavior or way of life. Pantyhose is considered a woman's garment. They are uncomfortable and restricting, a garment meant for fashion and to hide blemishes, hair or scars. I'm unsure yet of the rope or twine that I will use and whether that will hold any conceptual significance.

The installation will consist of pantyhose legs sewn onto a string and strung horizontally from wall to wall. There will be a fan on the opposite side of the room, creating air movement to make the pantyhose legs dance in the wind. They will resemble prayer flags. Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags are traditionally hung outside homes and places of spiritual practice. When caught by the wind, they are said to spread luck and happiness to those around them. I am using pantyhose, a constricting garment that advertises beauty and fashion and giving it the movement of prayer flags. Bringing attention to the beautification of a housewife life by products like pantyhose. The line of pantyhose also begin to look like dead-fish hung from a line. While being beautiful, it also has an eery, uneasy feel.

Pantyhose Project 2

I decided to post my sketches because I love to see other artists sketch books next to the final project. I've decided that I'm going to combine the pantyhose orbs with a hand made rope in between, kind of like an umbilical cord. But I wanted them to hang over your shoulder or around the back of your neck like a fashionable bag.

I've posted my most recent steps in this project. Both the balls are complete! I added quite a bit more string to the forms, making them more tightly compact and controlled. Next step is to connect the boogers!

to see my previous post on this project click here.