11 October – 13 November 2024
Jennifer Burke, Samonte Cruz, Bee Schroeder
Purple Pain (2021)
Felt, leather, mesh, paint, glass, brass, fine silver, gold, black onyx & found objects
Learn more here
Artist’s Statement
During the fall of 2021, multi-media artist & performer Samonte Cruz, textile artist Jennifer Burke, and glass artist Bee Schroeder engaged in a collaborative art project, working together and in their individual studios to make components that were ultimately used in constructing a wearable, multi-layered garment that is meant to embody the experience of chronic pain; creating a physical representation & visual of Samonte’s invisible disability.
Through the creation process, the group explored the contrasting experiences of pain and social isolation with queer resilience, trans empowerment, and gender euphoria. It’s important to note that the three artists identify as queer and/or trans/non-binary and also manage chronic health conditions and pain.
While the group designed and constructed the garment over October and November of 2021, Samonte was also writing a song, reflecting on the collective experience of living through a global pandemic as well as their personal experiences as a queer, trans, person of colour [OTPOC] living with disabilities. The culmination of the project took place on November 30th, 2021, when the finished garment was worn by Samonte as they performed their new song titled, Still Breathing, at various locations on Sinixt Territory, also known as Nelson, BC. The final piece, in the form of a music video, was released virtually through the Nelson & District Arts Council for their Outside the Box performance showcase.
The design of the garment was based on a series of ‘pain maps’ drawn by Samonte between 2010 and 2021, after surviving a serious spinal injury. Pain maps identify areas and severity of pain in the body to help guide treatment plans for healthcare professionals. The different sizes of glass and metal spikes and shades of purple felt were used to illustrate the variation in severity of pain across Samonte’s body. The felted pain maps contain networks of gold threads, illustrating the transmission of pain via neural pathways.
The material choices of leather, metal, and glass provide physical protection for the wearer; while the amulet that sits across the chest is a prayer that invokes spiritual armor for the displaced, disenfranchised, and disabled. It provides strength and courage to the vulnerable, especially when exposing pain that is obscured by the body. The chest piece features an ancient Filipino amulet called a linglingo, and mirrors the composition of a Catholic rosary, referencing the 500 years of ancestral trauma experienced by indigenous Filipinos during Spanish colonization. Through the vulnerable communication of their pain, Samonte has been able to receive the care and support they need from their community. This garment reveals the power and protection that come when we share and show our pain.
The artists invite you to reflect upon the pain you carry, both physical, mental and spiritual, and what it would mean to share that with the people in your life. What could you gain by exposing your vulnerabilities? How could revealing your pain transform your experience? What is holding you back from sharing your experience with your community? The artists behind this piece believe these are essential questions that embrace the values of disability justice and lead us toward interdependence with people in our communities.
© 2024 Oxygen Art Centre
