Artist Statement
Allison Tunis' embroidery pieces develop a discourse around cultural conditioning and societal implications of restrictive standards of beauty. Tunis’ works feature portraits of persons who shun outdated and constricting notions of what are considered “acceptable” bodies in our society and who celebrate their differences and diversity in ways that can be considered disobedient, either actively or passively. The need to feel beautiful and desired is universal, but the standards for how to achieve that are so restrictive that it leaves little chance for many to accomplish this feat. These art pieces are a way for Tunis to explore her own internal evolution away from the traditional paradigm of thin, white, cis, able-bodied women as the epitome of beauty and sexuality, towards a more inclusive understanding of beauty and the shunning of restrictive norms and aesthetic standards.
The technique of cross-stitch emphasizes the obsessive quality of the work, and also reinforces the concept of cultural stereotypes of femininity. Through hours and hours of time working, stitch by stitch, the artist creates an image of contemporary, diverse beauty and sexuality using only needle, thread and fabric. As well, concepts of "women's work" are evoked through the history of embroidery and textile work, further stereotypes of what a woman is traditionally expected to be by society.
This work is influenced by concepts of feminism - in particular, the questioning of the notion that a woman's physical attractiveness should be their number one priority at all times; also body-positivity, intersectionality, and the rejection of traditional standards of beauty, or even of physical appearance as a measurement of self-worth. Tunis feels that there is a need for advocacy for those who are not able to speak up on their own behalf, and that creating and sharing art is a way to work through her own experiences, whilst also educating and creating dialogue about these topics with others.
Through the art, the artist intends to draw in the viewer by the initial beauty of the image. Many people do not realize at first sight that the work is all hand-embroidered; upon close examination, this discovery draws attention to the amount of effort, time, and ultimately obsession that the artist has put in to continually create these hand-stitched works, day after day and hour after hour. What does that say about the artist? What kind of person is so focused on aesthetics of beauty and body image to spend hours and hours stitching out images of other people's bodies? What contributes to creating such an obsession? How - and why! - does our society encourage this kind of obsession and make beauty a priority over other virtues? These are questions the artist hopes to provoke through her work.
The technique of cross-stitch emphasizes the obsessive quality of the work, and also reinforces the concept of cultural stereotypes of femininity. Through hours and hours of time working, stitch by stitch, the artist creates an image of contemporary, diverse beauty and sexuality using only needle, thread and fabric. As well, concepts of "women's work" are evoked through the history of embroidery and textile work, further stereotypes of what a woman is traditionally expected to be by society.
This work is influenced by concepts of feminism - in particular, the questioning of the notion that a woman's physical attractiveness should be their number one priority at all times; also body-positivity, intersectionality, and the rejection of traditional standards of beauty, or even of physical appearance as a measurement of self-worth. Tunis feels that there is a need for advocacy for those who are not able to speak up on their own behalf, and that creating and sharing art is a way to work through her own experiences, whilst also educating and creating dialogue about these topics with others.
Through the art, the artist intends to draw in the viewer by the initial beauty of the image. Many people do not realize at first sight that the work is all hand-embroidered; upon close examination, this discovery draws attention to the amount of effort, time, and ultimately obsession that the artist has put in to continually create these hand-stitched works, day after day and hour after hour. What does that say about the artist? What kind of person is so focused on aesthetics of beauty and body image to spend hours and hours stitching out images of other people's bodies? What contributes to creating such an obsession? How - and why! - does our society encourage this kind of obsession and make beauty a priority over other virtues? These are questions the artist hopes to provoke through her work.