Tension 02
The cocoon makers and their stories
1 Rebecca Barrett
I used a logo from my workplace where I experienced a toxic work environment. A high-level leader bullied people within the department which lead to lots of emotional sharing amongst the team, but also suffering and hiding feelings to ensure job security.
2 Heidi Bambauer
I chose to cocoon a wristwatch from my youth that I have kept for decades. Though it no longer measures the passing of time in the way it once did, it holds years of memories, change, and endurance. Wrapping and stitching it into a cocoon feels like an act of care for both the object and the life it represents—a way of honoring the quiet emotional labor of carrying the past while allowing it to rest. By becoming part of this shared fiber art installation, the watch transforms from a personal keepsake into a visible expression of memory, care, and the unseen work we all carry.
3 S. Barrett
My object is a hospital bracelet from when I went to the E.R. In terms of emotional labor, it represents the fact that when going to the E.R., there are only certain people I can/want to rely on, because I know there are others who will let their emotions become the focus of my pain.
And also, the person/people I can rely on for emergencies are those who will willingly take up the labor of comforting me in my times of vulnerability.
4 Heather Kirschner
A Worn Piece of Putte: Enclosed is a small section of a wool leg wrap called a putte that was part of my Great Grandfather's WWI uniform. The ends have been terribly tattered and torn but the cor is in relatively good condition. One wonders how long it takes to unravel the embedded lessons of hate, fear and otherness that is at the core of preparing sould to go to war.
5 Anonymous
My object is a medicine bottle lid. In part for my mom, who has been in and out of the hospital for most of this year, but also for my dad, who stays with her and helps her get around the house. And most recently, her brother–my uncle–who has been in and out of her life for several years, but recently appeared out of nowhere. I'm happy to help care for her, but dealing with the emotions of everyone in her orbit is exhausting.
6 Anonymous
An ex-boyfriend left a bottle of lorazepam and marijuana at my house the last time he left. A doctor had prescribed the lorazepam off-label for his insomnia, despite its potential for dependence. He also used marijuana and substantial amounts of alcohol to manage the same symptoms.
He likely carried PTSD from his career in law enforcement. Although several counselors recommended EMDR and other treatment, he repeatedly refused and insisted he was fine, leaving me to manage the fallout of his untreated distress.
I had also experienced PTSD and had largely managed my anxiety before the relationship began. By the end of the relationship. my anxiety had returned and I was experiencing the worst insomnia of my life. Almost as soon as he left, the anxiety stopped; with additional counseling, yoga, and breathwork, the insomnia gradually subsided.
7 Anonymous
Story withheld by request of the maker.
8 Stephannie Quick
Heart Disease: Medical studies for women have always been lacking due to medical biases that prioritize the male body as the standard. Not until the mid 80s did researchers finally add women to heart health and disease studies despite heart disease being the leading cause of death in women.
Menopause: Future doctors (including OB/GYNs) and nurses spend not days but mere hours, often just one lecture, on learning about menopause and are acutely ill equipped when it comes to helping women going through perimenopause and who are post menopausal.
9 Jan Davids
I have broken up shards of black and white procelain that I made. I am thinking about the meaning of the light and darkness of my life and how as an artists, I draw from bot to create work. I grew up in a heavily weighted patriarchal family where, as a female, it was difficult to have an identity but it was my rock to carry and produce the emotional labor to attempt to keep peace at any cost. The toll, of course, was growing up and repeating those unuseful, unproductive and harmful learned habits. I did this to the point of exhaustion until I began to break the chain. It's a journey.
10 Mary Delmege
My object is an earring that belonged to my step-mother, Trudy. We had an antagonistic relationship, but evenually she had dementia and I ended up caring for her at the end of her life. In our final conversation, she told me, "I never liked you."
11 Anonymous
Each piece in the cocoon represents a family member. My father was a shriner and a jester (higher order shrine). For the last 25 years of his life, he was in a wheel chair. I was able to assist, but my mother was the prime caregiver, who was able to take care of herself after his death. My sister does and did nothing to help. A mask I have to wear to deal with her, as her choices affect me. When my mother became injured, I was able to help, even though I am not doing well. I have seen the guilt my mother has, when she heeds help. We are both self sufficient. It is hard. I am releasing the hurt, anger and sadness I have allowed myself to hang onto for too long. I remind myself to let it go.