Sorcerer installation Binding Threads
The installation by Sourcerer distorts the idea of the traditional family model and gender roles by manipulating space with fabric. The distorted family photos blend into the interiors, blurring the lines between the everyday home environment and fabricated reality.
Social cohesion and a sense of belonging are considered a basic human need. Having a strong bond with a physical, symbolic or imagined collective is vital for both the individual as well as the group. The family is like a utopia of communal belonging and its membership is independent of individual action or inaction.
One of the driving forces of the fashion world is a sense of belonging that moves people to follow trends. Accordingly, the fashion cult can amplify the existing social hierarchy by discarding those who do not participate in it. However, the endless race to establish individuality and uniqueness tends to end up in a grey mass. The wish to stand out makes us all identical.
The clothes of family members allude to certain amplified stereotypes. The reworked elements of military equipment express the father’s masculinity and his protective nature. The mother’s selfless care and love are illustrated by the faceless headdress adorned with a pale complexion. The clothes of the teenage daughter convey the desire of the young to stand out and the passionate search for belonging.
In Sourcerer’s eyes, the body and the garments are equal tools for destroying ingrained ideals and stereotypes. By transforming and distorting the body with clothes, the outlines of the human body become blurred, and the wearer becomes one with the clothes.
The installation provokes questions about norms, identity, individuality, and acceptance, creating a dynamic and controversial space that inspires viewers to reflect on expanding the notion of a family.
