I Carry With Me All My Things: Lavender

Ceramic, hair, stainless steel findings, five variations of faux lavender, dried (natural) lavender, lavender incense, lavender essential oil, microphone, & microphone stand

2021

“The braids adorning Kirstin Willders’ I Carry With Me All My Things: Lavender (2021) reference chatelaines, decorative belts primarily worn by women in the 19th Century, with chains attached holding useful tools like house keys and knives. The lavender on this chatelaine alludes to the phrase "Lavender Menace," used in the 1960s to describe lesbians as a threat to the emerging feminist movement, which was then dominated by the voices of straight white women. In protest, a group of activists formed a coalition of the same name to demand equal representation in the feminist movement. The microphone further suggests the vessel’s potential to testify to the stories of the LGBTQ+ community, as it bears witness to anyone who wants to share their own story.”

- María-Elisa Heg, Curatorial Fellow (2019-21), Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX