Lexicon 1 [FOD]

Ceramic, glitter, Ruby Slippers, adhesive, wood

2020

“The dazzling surface of Kirstin Willders's Lexicon 1 (2020) sits against an equally dazzling backdrop. Set against a sea of red glitter, the slippers on top of the vessel may not reveal themselves at first glance. However, to those familiar with the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, they are an instantly recognizable reference to the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the role of Dorothy. During and after WWII, a time of widespread homophobia in the United States, queer people found solidarity, safety, and joy by invoking the phrase "Friend of Dorothy," signifying that the speaker was part of a shared community. Hiding in plain sight, the slippers are a visual example of how language can be coded, so that words or phrases are used to convey multiple levels of meaning and are strategically incorporated into one's lexicon, or collected vocabulary. A visual representation of this phrase and its function in practice, Lexicon 1's ruby slippers require this prior knowledge to understand their coded meaning; otherwise, they simply blend in.”

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