Communal Moving Blanket

Title: Communal Moving Blanket
Time: July-August 2023 while Artist-In-Residence at Playa near Summer Lake, Oregon USA

Size: 30′ x 30′
Materials: used moving blankets and fabrics used for moving, collected from acquaintances, strangers and businesses from various parts of the USA

Details:
Moving blankets are thick and durable and meant to protect and cushion. Communal Moving Blanket is a collection of used moving blankets sewn together as one large quilt-like blanket. The fabrics are visibly used, worn-out, faded with stains, rips and frayed edges, likely from decades of use involving hundreds of people and diverse scenarios of moving. I embrace the inherent stories in these pieces of fabric each used during points of transition and moments in motion, moving.

As our world heads into the future of climate change we also head into an upheaval of climate displacement, one of managed retreat, complex with stories of those with the resources in which to choose to move, forced removal, communities moved and/or cultures dissolved. In gathering these used moving blankets, from acquaintances, strangers and businesses from various part of the USA, and sewing the fabrics together I am also stitching together all of those stories. I join these moving blankets together in my desire for us to unite and help each other move forward. It is my hope for the communal assistance and unification that will help us all to not only survive, but thrive with equity during our climate migration.

Thank you to the following participants who made an important collective moment in this work possible:
Clare Benson
Ivy Guild
Jennifer Gunlock
Carrie Hardison
Mike Thompson