“Will You Sleep with Me” is an interactive textile installation that explores the conflict between the isolation of sickness and the need for human connection through the object of the bed. Viewers are invited to use clean, gentle hands to explore the layers of bedding and discover what lies beneath the surface. I seek to portray not only a disabled identity but also concepts of gender, sexuality, and religion that influence my experiences in this space. The time and labor of the fiber techniques used reference the experiences of being bedridden while simultaneously creating a physically comforting object. My work in textiles and installation explores the intersection of craft and identity. I use bright colors and playful aesthetics to explore how I relate to the world as a young disabled woman. I use this lens to explore themes of loneliness, monotony, and nostalgia. How does one deal with the need to be known and yet hidden? How is this aspect of the human condition exaggerated by disability and chronic illness?
