Core
Two Lives Corset (Who Stitched Yours?)
The first corset factory established in the UK was opened in 1892 in the city of Bath. A local history/art group asked me to make a corset to be included in a book about little-known places in Bath. I decided to make the corset as a 'document' recording the lives of the woman working in the factory, contrasted with that of the woman who bought the corset and wore it.
Two Lives Corset ii (Who Stitched Yours?)
Initial part of project comparing the lives of the factory worker and the consumer. This corset compares those two life-styles dating back over 100 years. The project has later moved on to look at the present-day situation
Worker's tools 1892
These drawings have been made in ink and stitched onto the inside of the corset to illustrate the worker's life. Her life would be dominated by her long working hours and her struggle for survival.
Two Lives - Corset Sections
Stitched Sections of the corset
Two Lives -The True Cost
The cost to the worker in 19th Century. She could not afford to buy the corset she had helped to make. She would need to save all her wages for 30 days of continuous work in order to pay for it.
Who Stitched Yours? - the present day
This is one of the follow-on pieces looking at the present-day situation in garment manufacture. During the process of 'globalization' manufacturers have moved their factories out of western Europe going slowly ever-further eastward, looking for countries in which workers could be paid low wages. The process went into Eastern Europe, North Africa, then on to the Middle East, India,Pakistan and Bangladesh and then on to Vietnam, China and the Far East.
Who Stitched Yours? - labels sewn on
Labels sewn onto corset sections. These pieces - while helpful in the thought-process for the final (map) piece have not been incorporated onto the map. They will be used in a later piece- possibly a 3D corset or possibly a 2D piece . This is as yet unresolved
Who Stitched Yours? - Stitched Map
I collected over 70 labels from garments - and looked for the country of origin. This gave me a wide range of countries which i marked on the map.
Care of the Workforce 21st Century
Final selection of 'care icons' representing the care of the workforce in the globalized labour market 21st Century style.
Other works
Two Lives - drawings i (Who Stitched Yours?)
Planning stage for corset design. The corset has two 'halves' with each side showing the activities of either the factory worker or the lady wearer.
Two Lives - drawings ii (Who Stitched Yours?)
More ideas st the planning stage. Research at the Victoria and Albert Museum revealed that the factory worker's wages were so low, she would not be able to afford to buy a corset she had helped to make. In fact she would have to work for 30 days and save every penny she earned in order to buy such a corset. The parallels with today's situation for workers in countries such as Bangladesh are becoming apparent to me now.
Worker's tools drawn in ink
Drawings made to be sewn into lining
Lady of Leisure
Drawings illustrating the life-style of the lady able to purchase the corset
The Price of the Corset
price ticket
Stitching the text
Half the panels were stitched with text descriptions of the kinds of jobs which would be advertised in the corset factory. Some of these occupations : corner-stopper, boner, stitcher, eyelet maker, were so skilled that they required extensive training. The young woman might not be paid during her training (for several weeks). She might even have to pay money herself to her employer! The other panels on the other half show the activities of the lady wearer of the corset.
Work and Play - Two Lives
The two lives encapsulated in text describing their life activities.
Two Lives - inner sections
Corset construction - inner panels
Two Lives - in print
Book raising money for Community Fringe in Bath. 'Find Another Bath' is an artists' book chronicling little known places in the city of Bath. The story of 'Two Lives' is that of the corset factory, and the lives linked by the corsets : the women working in the factory and the ladies who eventually wore the corsets.
Who Stitched Yours? - corset sections
Ideas here started with a corset - as yet this has not been completely resolved
Who Stitched Yours? - ideas
Drawings of ideas for Who Stitched Yours?
Who Stitched Yours - more ideas
This drawing which shows the outline of a human figure seemed too complicated in some ways - however the human element is important to the work and appear in later work. (not followed through as yet)
Who Stitched Yours? - garment label
Typical garment label - 21st century
Who Stitched Yours - labels on corset - ideas
Labels placed experimentally on corset sections
Who Stitched Yours? (labels)
The garment labels are being stitched onto 'corset' sections. This is work in progress - and still at the thinking/planning stage.
Who Stitched Yours? - countries of origin
Countries recorded from garment labels
Who Stitched Yours? initial ideas - workers' lives
Initial ideas in sketch book for worker care icons. Not actually used - because I realised that there are internationally accepted icons already in use - which might be useful in this project
Who Stitched Yours? -researching symbols
sketch book notes
Who Stitched Yours? - Care Icons
This shows some preparatory drawings and ideas for 'Worker Care Icons'. All garments imported into UK have to have garment Care Icons, showing how the garment may be washed, dried, ironed and so on. It occurred to me that icons related to the factory workers would show a complete lack of care. Many live in substandard housing, possibly with no electricity or running water. Some may even be housed in dormitories in the factory. All work long hours by our standards and for low pay.
Who Stitched Yours? stitching map
I drew a map free-hand onto tissue paper. I stitched through this onto a thin cotton fabric.
Who Stitched Yours? - stitching the map
The map was drawn onto tissue paper - then fabric placed underneath and stitched through both layers
Who Stitched Yours? (map in place)
Map in place on canvas - pre-painted with acrylic paint and spray paint
Who Stitched Yours? - label placement
Experimental placement of labels - final positions then glued onto canvas.
Who Stitched Yours? labels
Labels placed as a 'shower' coming from Far East, Asia and other counties manufacturing clothing .
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