Darrel Morris
Morris’ work explores masculinity from a queer perspective and by extension comes to grips with matters such as humiliation, melancholy, mourning and the abuse of power that is experienced.
It is impossible not to see his work as at least some what autobiographical, his work features ramifications of disempowerment, stemming from his experiences growing up in Appalachia (an unacknowledged third world).
Morris’ use of textiles is especially pointed; instead employing it in a form of celebration he uses it to express feelings of shame and alienation, especially in regards to failing to meet local standards of masculinity.
Nearly all of Morris’ imagery comes from found sources, primarily news paper photographs. This, Morris believes, lends a certain authority to the works and also involves them in the compelling awkwardness the imperfect melding of disparate images.
Much has been made about Morris being a man who sews, a pursuit that our culture still sees as ‘womens work’ and by extension seen as being inferior to other art forms. His high detailed images are intricately completed with a high level of perfection with not a thread out of place. I am drawn to the way his images capture real life moments and the detail that is present in his pieces, though i prefer work that has a looser feel to it.
Shizuko Kimura
Kimura’s pictorial style and technical approach to the her is what really distinguishes it. She focuses her acute vision on the subtle details of the human body, which she captures direct from life with the material, needle and thread. Her embroidered panels filled with numerous sketches of the same model in different positions.
Her work never shouts for attention, but whisper like fleeting memories. The pieces invited the viewer into her private sketch book. With eloquent lines of loosely engaged threads Kimura creates pieces that not only reveal the beauty of the human body but her insightful vision of it.
By using a translucent ground on which to sew Kimura ensures that the thread is maintained as a continuous broken line of traditional running stitch. Not only does this extend the capacity of the material involved but it also emphasises the minimal qualities of her work.
A Passionately Curious Mind 