Red String of Fate
2018
organic plaster, yarn, clear epoxy
Today, the thought of finding love has become that of yester year. While people have become driven by outward looks, careers, and social status, the idea of finding someone has become something less thought of. I want this piece to not only visualize the streangth between soulmates, but I want to ensure those that are weary that love is not fleeting. Despite stuggles, indaviduals and couples across the globe have far better resources to find, continue, and maintain long distance relationships than any other generation prior.
With my research topic discussing a shift in LGBT cultulre through technology, I wanted to create a work for my Studio Final that resonated with me on a very personal level. Over the course of this year, I have not only dealt with the challenges one faces while moving to New York City, but I have maintained a long distance relationship with my boyfriend, Joseph.
Together we have faced several up’s and down’s, but we both belive that we were ment to be together and with that thought in mind, we have stayed together – stonger than ever. That being said, I wanted to encorpetate this idea of a “soulmate” into my project, and found the tale of the Red String of Fate.
Derived from an aincent East Asian belife, the tale of the Red String of Fate is a myth in wich the Gods tie an invisible red string around the pinkies of those that are destined to be with eachother. The tale gives hope to those that havent found their soulmate yet, and gives strength to those who have.
Upon first reflection, I was going to do a series of two photographs, but I figured I could push this further, and after brainstorming, I resolved on the idea of making a sculptural piece to visualize this bond between Joseph and I. Because this invisible string stretches to wherever your soulmate is, I though it would be best to best to visually display this myth because of the two-tousand mile distance between Joseph and I.
To create this work, I first cast my hand, and had him cast his, in organic plaster to capture emaculate detail in both of our hands. After doing so, I wanted to push this “red string” into the viewer’s eyes and decided that simply stringing the chord across the two pinkies wouldn’t be strong enough. After many different iterations and attempts, I came up with the conclusion to wrap the entire string around the bases of the hands, and have it crawl up one hand, and into the other, wrapping around not only the pinkies, but the entire hand and base itself. This wrapping signifies the strength that not only Joseph and I have, but every other pair of soulmates.
In terms of the venue I would like by sculpture to be shown, I think it would fit best in the David Zwirner Gallery located in New York City on West 19th street. I say this not only because of the contemporary minimalistic facade that the building withholds, but because the works inside of the gallery perfectly reflect the tone of what I want my piece to give off. Meant for observation, my work is to be the only thing in the room, and because this gallery is so full of light and space, I think it would be the perfect match.
