For my project, I was inspired by Benitah since she adds embroidery to archives from her childhood. I did a few experiments of key photos of my grandparents. Instead of sewing them all however, I arranged the thread in different ways to cause the ’embroidery’ to look softer and flow more. Benitah shows a lot of emotions through her embroidery, adding harsh threaded imagery into the photos. I wanted to convey a happier message (mainly) for my work, and therefore used a lot of circular arrangements to represent the feelings of love between my grandparents.

Archives

I decided to use a red thread for my work since it is the colour representing love. Although it may be seen as a cliché, I think it was the most appropriate colour to use. As I said, it is a portrayal of love, however it also represents pain, acting as a foreshadowing for the pain my grandad experienced after my grandmother’s death.

I firstly experimented with this picture, creating two different arrangements of the thread, twirling it around my grandparents. I think both were an effective way of using the thread.

I also created a third experiment, actually sewing into the photograph, creating harsher shapes. I think this one was not effective, the design being too harsh and being disruptive.

This was the second picture I experimented with, and I think I once again both results were effective.

These experiments created a harsher result, since I once again embroidered the photos. I think these are quite effective, especially the portrait of my grandma, adding character to the photos.

I arranged the thread on these photos in a simple yet effective way, the thread adding a leading line to the photos. Despite the shadow of the thread not being intentional, I think it looks quite effective. I experimented on all the archives, sometimes even creating two different arragements on one photo. I added thread to all of the archives I will be using in my photobook, further differenciating them from the new photos I took myself, as well as adding my own touch to them in the style of Benitah.