WARRIOR

THE WARRIOR

The Warrior began as a continuation of the exploration of strength within the fragility of paper. The wearable piece is a three-part, month-long exploration that began with questions and conversations about what or whom is considered a warrior. What makes a warrior, what qualities are in a person who fights, and what circumstances brings out those qualities in others. The responses varied from the protective instinct of a mother, to the sheer energy of a runner at a starting line. The responses given all pointed to a few things: A warrior is both physical, historical, and mental in its strength. A warrior fights, and protects, and charges.

This work was created using a mix of paper, repeatedly weathered for weeks in the sun and rain, buried beneath the ground, and dried out. The paper was then ripped and cut, and using a mix of water and pressure as an adhesive, the soaked paper dried to itself in the desired forms. The cream white on white almost implies a lack of presence, and confronts the idea of an initial appearance. Defense isn't just in the form of a singular idea or face, and often enough, an armor designed to protect ones face doesn't protect the rest of the body.

This set contains three important pieces of armor, that make up a traditional dress of armor.

The First piece of Warrior is The Veil, a headpiece that shields the eyes, with tendrils of paper trailing behind at a total length of 17 ft.

The second piece in the Warrior is The Shield, an over the shoulder piece that protects all the central organs, with 7 layers of paper covering the heart.

The third piece is The Gauntlet, a shin guard that protects the right foot, which often is the first step forward.

THE VEIL

The wedding veil, has historically been a form of armor for women. Marriage is a historical monument in life, and the veil was often used as a simultaneous way to hide the faces of women from their spouses and create allure.

But what exactly does the veil cover? Certainly not your ears, which are open to the sounds of what's around. Not the smell of the surroundings, or the heat of your own breath, which easily pervade the veil. Instead, it might hide the fear stricken face of a person unwinding, nervous, excited, or needing. Or maybe, the perceived ugliness of the bride from her husband to be.

And yet, while it limits the sight of those around from what is within, it also limits the vision of those within to those around. What kind of world is outside? Are you truly aware? Often brides are blinded to the characters of those they cannot see but are led by.

The Veil is both to protect the minds of those it is wearing, and fully shield the eyes from the sights around them. Layers and layers of ideas and thoughts never placed on paper become a trail that extends way past ones body, trailing and drifting behind, but never detached.

What worth is a shield that can only be carried by one hand and protect one side? Instead, it carries and caresses you, resting gently on the shoulder.

THE SHIELD

THE GAUNTLET

Both to run to, and to run from, feet carry people to whatever destination. And while the gauntlets are usually to protect ones hands, this warrior needs no barrier between oneself and others. What better way to fight than to run swiftly with unclenched hands and open arms to embrace the enemy.

Together, with swift feet, protected lightly by a hug from the strength of your own shoulders.

The wispy trail made behind you from your memories and echoes of the words spoken, the warrior marches on ahead, both blinded eyes unable to see, but ears to listen to the sounds of those around you, and hands to grasp and hug and touch.

The Warrior, clad in an armor of paper words and sounds, touch and grounded earth, can walk forward.