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wounds-slowly-being-covered-up-mouth-det

wounds slowly being covered up

Three vintage, public-domain medical photographs are translated into meticulous cross stitch, resembling digitized imagery. Crawling across them are sections of colorful patterns that seem to mock the seriousness of the subject matter: bright purple leopard spots cling to a gaping red mouth, jungle-green hearts flutter over a severely infected eye, and blue gems encrust an inflamed skin lesion. Using a multitude of cotton threads, each one a subtle yet crucial variation of another, creates and eerily convincing portrait of flesh. This hand-embroidered series is about how we cover up our emotional wounds, which are oftentimes allegorically related to illnesses and injuries of the flesh.   

Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up: Mouth and Eye were published in Volume Forty-Two of Studio Visit Magazine (2018). In 2016, they were featured in an article by Kasimiira Kontio for The 405. Most recently, they were exhibited in One Step Forward, Two Steps Back at (Not) Sheep Gallery in Columbus, OH in spring 2019.

Kathryn Shinko. Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up: Mouth (detail.) Hand embroidery on painted Aida cloth. 12" x 18". 2014-15.

Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up Mouth.jpg

Kathryn Shinko. Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up: Mouth. Hand embroidery on painted Aida cloth. 12"x18". 2014-15.

Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up Eye.jpg

Kathryn Shinko. Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up: Eye. Hand embroidery on painted Aida cloth. 12"x18". 2014-15.

wounds-slowly-being-covered-up-eye-detai

Kathryn Shinko. Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up: Eye. detail. Hand embroidery on painted Aida cloth. 12"x18". 2014-15.

Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up Lesion.jp

Kathryn Shinko. Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up: Lesion. Hand embroidery on painted Aida cloth. 12"x18". 2014-15.

Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up Lesion de

Kathryn Shinko. Wounds Slowly Being Covered Up: Lesion (detail). Hand embroidery on painted Aida cloth. 12"x18". 2014-15.

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