You've Got Mail, buckram, fabric, hand embroidery, ribbon. 2020This piece is a visualization of the effects of trauma: specifically, of words unsaid. The other themes in the work are masculinity and the strength in softness. Stephen’s identity as a trans-masculine person and the connection to pink seeks to culturally challenge hyper-masculinity, especially the stigmatization of transgender men when any connection to ‘femininty’ is highly critized. The softness in material and color connects to the vulnerability of the subject matter, and radicalizes the idea of being soft.
This work is interactive, you may open the letters; please be gentle. content warning: mentions trauma, abuse, and assault.
