How do artists use fabric to explore themes of invisibility or erasure?
Artists often employ fabric as a versatile medium to explore complex themes like invisibility and erasure, weaving narratives that challenge perception and memory. By manipulating textiles—through techniques such as layering, fraying, or dissolving—they create works that evoke absence, fragility, and the unseen. For instance, some artists use translucent fabrics to symbolize vanishing histories, while others stitch or burn patterns to represent cultural or personal erasure. Installations with draped or fragmented cloth can mimic ghostly presences, inviting viewers to confront what is missing or overlooked. This tactile approach not only highlights the material’s metaphorical potential but also redefines fabric as a tool for social and political commentary in contemporary art.
