Skin Contention
Point of Contact Gallery, Syracuse NY
January 31 - February 20, 2013

Exhibition Statement

In her first solo exhibition, Skin Contention, Olivia Tripp Morrow utilizes crocheted blankets and a recorded performance on video as mediums to challenge cultural notions of feminine beauty and domesticity. Historically, knitting and crochet has been considered a domestic craft reserved for women. Some of the blankets in this installation were made by women in Morrow's family, and others were donated to local reuse stores in Syracuse, New York. The white crocheted blanket used in her video performance was made by her great, great grandmother. Though crocheted blankets may appear to be delicate because of their thin layers and intricate, floral patterns, they are actually quite strong and resilient due to their unified structure created by the act of crocheting. Evidence of this tension is conveyed throughout the installation in contrasting indications of struggle and captivity, fluidity and harmony.