top of page
What Price Silence?

What Price Silence?

 

Inspired by the stories of victims of sexual abuse emboldened to speak out by the #metoo movement.

 

Victims were frequently threatened, shamed, bribed or cajoled into silence. The face comes from a photograph of a doll. The lower part of her face is hidden to symbolize an enforced silence. In contrast to her downcast eyes and the sadness they exude, the other elements of the assemblage symbolize the wealth and opportunities offered to a victim in exchange for silence: the blue-gray velvet backdrop, swirls of a luxurious mauve fabric and an elegant garland blending beads of rose quartz and off-white mother of pearl, pink and white freshwater pearls, and the amethyst Murano glass beads.

 

The colors are subdued to indicate that the wealth and opportunities come with a price, that they are not offered freely. The frame surrounding the photograph of the doll's face has intentionally been glued to be slightly off-kilter to give the viewer a sense of instability and unease.

 

The necklace segment contains rose quartz (a semiprecious stone), Murano glass beads encasing silver, mother of pearl, and freshwater pearls. Additional materials used include a digitally manipulated photograph, acrylic paint, a wooden picture frame, velvet, satin and paper.

 

Custom framed with museum glass in a sophisticated deep wooden frame in collaboration with Chevy Chase Art Gallery, Washington, DC.

 

Frame color: Black

Size (in inches): 16 x 12 x 4

    bottom of page