Keeley DeHart

Keeley DeHart
Studio Art Major, Minor in Art History

Vulnerable, 2020

I decided to create an outfit inspired by and using materials that were influential during the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine. I used a slip for me to build my dress upon so that there is a solid structure as a base. The slip I used is made of a material using newspaper print, which was a decision based around the experience of turning on the TV and seeing COVID make every headline— it felt impossible to read the news without seeing articles on the global pandemic. It has become such an influential part of our lives and world. I used facemasks and toilet paper as primary materials for the dress. Glue and tape were my primary binders for attaching the materials to one another, though I did utilize sewing as well. I used predominantly tape to attach the materials together in order to easily disassemble them afterwards, as I recognize how desirable and valuable they are. The reason I decided to create an outfit using medical and sanitary materials is because they have become very influential and critical items in our everyday lives. I digitally created a girl wearing the dress with concern about her situation, as she stares at empty shelves. For me, leaving the house without a mask now feels like I am leaving without clothes; I feel naked and vulnerable. I feel that I would be judged and unsafe without a mask and hand sanitizer with me in public. Masks are akin to clothes now. I wanted to express this feeling of necessity and vulnerability by making clothes out of these materials, and showing the concern of lack of access to such critical materials.