Fierce Solitude

Abstract

The idea of solitude is usually known as nonsocial. However, it does not contradict social engagement but deepens it. Currently, in progress for the Student Scholars Program, my creative project explores a reconceptualization of solitude connecting to themes of family, memory, childhood, home, and the self. By researching various historical and contemporary interpretations as foundational tools informing my work, I came back to the familial space of the house. Sewing and knitting nightgowns and slippers and then hanging them on a clothesline tell the story of my household's significant female figures- grandmother, mother, and daughter.  I draw upon new experiences with solitude in this space with a knitted blanket where patches of sewn muslin signify the places I’ve lived and the beaded words narrate feelings of home. Connecting to my black multicultural identity, I deepen my self-awareness and connection to the outside world by claiming my space in solitude.