armor and facade series
My first “armored” garment was “Boundless” (the last image on this page), which began as a shirt. A friend had told me to “guard my heart”. Of course he meant that as an emotional guarding. But the phrase inspired this series of sculptural garments that I see as metaphorical armor. These are figurative sculptures without the body. Conceptually a garment removed from its purpose expresses thoughts about our culture.
THE EXODUS
25”H x 27”W x 5”D
Quilted, hand and machine stitched, hand embroidered, painted, constructed; Silk, cotton, thread, paint, hidden felt interior layer (between silk and cotton layers); custom steel armature (also hidden) for displaying on the wall (as intended); photo: Penina M
NAKED; Air Force Flight Coveralls: Deconstructed, quilted, pieced, appliquéd, hand and machine stitched, reconstructed; 64" x 35" x 9"
It’s many layers thick; I removed all but the zippers, pockets and seams; 9000 yards of black thread were used. photo: Addison Doty
inside it reads: “I do not know how I came to be in this place of strange surroundings; I can only tell you I am caught, it is either vortex or maze, and I am destined to find my way out”
SKIN; 37" x 24" x 5"; reconstucted suit jacket; quilted, appliquéd, stitched; silk and various fabric scraps; photo: Penina M
“indigo words linger over red thoughts; golden rondelles encircle the scent of skin”
FLIGHT; 65”H x 22”W x 20D” (depth of the bottom “mermaid” flounce); Cotton, silk, white satin evening dress (disassembled), various fabric scraps, felt, paper, plastic, fake leaves, costume jewelry pearls, glass beads; Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, constructed; photo: Penina M
FLIGHT, built from a satin mermaid flounced evening dress, plays with the idea of a flight of fancy. I imagine whoever wore it felt removed from their normal day-to-day life. I stitched and painted birds and butterflies for its surface.
EN; 22” x 26” x 10”; deconstructed, “armored” T-Shirt; Quilted, pieced, appliquéd, hand and machine stitched, reconstucted; photo: Wendy McEahern
In the permanent collection of the Asheville Art Museum, North Carolina, USA ; “flowers fancy the faces of dragons / an instance ordinary / candling the sweet and the plain”
SHIELD; 23" x 27" x 9"; Silk, cotton, reimagined turtleneck sweater; Quilted, pieced, appliquéd, hand and machine stitched, constructed; photo: Wendy McEahern
in a private collectiom
…and SHIELD in the April 2021 edition of the magazine ArteMorbida in the article “Kay Khan’s Metaphorical Textile Sculptures”, written by Maria Rosaria Roseo
CONSTELLATION, 20 1/2" x 10" x 11 1/2", Silk, cotton
Quilted, pieced, appliquéd, hand and machine stitched, constructed
RAVEL; 20 1/2" x 10" x 11 1/2"; Silk, cotton; Quilted, pieced, appliquéd, hand and machine stitched, constructed
ANCESTRAL MIEN
20” x 24” x 2
Quilted, hand and machine stitched, constructed; child’s dress, thread, wire; wrapped and hand embroidered hanger
… notice the heart stitched over the vicinity of the human heart…
…“guard your heart”
BOUNDLESS; 32” x 23” x 9”; man’s shirt: deconstructed, “armored”, rebuilt; Silk, cotton; Quilted, pieced, appliquéd, hand and machine stitched, constructed; photo: Wendy McEahern