Headdress - Sea Life by Astrid Mussi
The Wild Woman in the Hills by Astrid Mussi
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
In my work, one finds two main subjects: The Wild Woman and The Headdress.
The Wild Woman
I explore the character of The Wild Woman, an archetype of woman in a natural state, uncultivated, untamed, undomesticated, uncontrolled. She represents a pure connection, a medium between the natural and the human world. I often represent her with very long arms symbolizing her carrying the world, its joy and suffering. The Wild Woman has no face, no expression, as she carries them all.
Headdresses
I am fascinated by the way people and especially women embellish themselves with fabrics, flowers, pins, etc. wrapped around their head, or simply attached to their hair. Headdresses have been powerful symbols throughout history, and I believe a headdress is a timeless way to affirm oneself. Every piece of the coif in my work is made from paper, acrylic, embroidery, and sometimes fabric. I create and combine these with care, much like one would build a headdress from elements found in nature.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
My work is guided by intuition and emotion. I am inspired by the beauty and the power of nature. I am carried away by storytelling; finding childhood again through my memories and my children.
I combine different elements and textures by sewing them together. The threads connect the natural living objects in an image. I mix the delicateness of the embroidery and the fragility of the paper with the ‘comic strip’ style of my characters. I believe this brings balance to my images and makes them come alive.
The fabrics are taken from used clothes: those of my children and myself. By incorporating these pieces of clothing, every piece of art has a personal story behind it.
The faces of my characters are simple blanks. To me, these naive figures carry a certain melancholy within.
My artwork is profoundly inspired by the nature I’ve discovered in Southern California, specifically the desert and its rare vegetation. The mountains of my childhood are not far either. Drawing, cutting, embroidering, and painting fill me with joy.
EXHIBITION GALLERY
