Exercises in Self-Consumption (Spread)

On the surface, each work in the larger series Exercises in Self-Consumption appear to be 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 work 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 systematically from the top of the piece.

In this specific work, short phrases have been repeatedly embroidered on two separate pieces of cloth, sized to resemble the spread of a notebook. One ‘page’ reads, “things I wish I had not said, things I wish I had not done”, while the other reads, “things I wish I could have said, things I wish I could have done”, over and over again until there is no more fabric on which to stitch the words. When displayed, the viewer can only see the front of one page and the back of the other at any one time—as if each form of regret always remains the subtext of the other.

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.