THORN is one of two corresponding pieces which debuted as part of 2023’s HÁLLOWEEN, a look back at my spookiest archival work.
At the end of the harvest, as the days begin to shorten, we honour both the beauty of life and the certainty of physical impermanence. Halloween or All Hallow’s Eve is the point when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is said to be at its thinnest. It’s a call to remember and commune with loved ones we have lost – a time of light in the darkness, and darkness in the light.
THORN explores the importance of darkness in the light, and embracing the discomfort of challenging those who oppose our ideals. The design blends the imagery of persecution and self-defence, exaggerating the sharp angularity of a traditional witch’s hat to suggest a rose’s thorn. The cutouts from brim resemble the flower’s overlapping petals, while the leaf vein-inspired lace partially obscures the wearer’s face.
The design was created in modelling software and 3D printed. The piece is attached with a millinery wire headband, which also supports the weight of the brim.
