Exercises in Self-Consumption (Remnants)

On the surface, each work in the larger series Exercises in Self-Consumption is a formal exploration of unbleached calico, an inexpensive fabric with a plain weave—meaning that the warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) threads cross at right angles to form a grid. The exercises hinge on one principle: that the fabric’s component fibres could function as threads in themselves, to be sewn back into the fabric. Each piece—remnants selected from cut-offs the artist has saved over the years—is created by removing its fibres one at a time from the bottom edge of the fabric. These short lengths of thread are then sewn in a systematic pattern from the top of the piece.

The series is meant to parallel how one’s anxious thoughts might feed obsessively on themselves, resulting in a stubborn paralysis despite a seemingly ‘generative’ process. The pieces of fabric accumulate stitches while disintegrating at the same time, becoming tighter and denser while also looser and more open. Progress and futility are encapsulated within a singular painstaking gesture.

This work was first shown in the solo exhibition along the lines of—, which ran from 12 to 20 August 2023 at Art Outreach [Singapore].

Photos by Marvin Tang.