The Sailor's Wife

The wife of a sailor must often rely on unconventional means of communication to imaginatively connect with someone who cannot otherwise be reached. The character in these images represents a larger population of women who experience the varieties of loss that accompany their title. The loss may be temporary, for the duration of their voyage, or it may become permanent, as sailors do not always return home to their wives. In this work, I transform artifacts (often nautical ones) from their common state, allowing them to become emotional metaphors. Items that would be used by the sailor are altered to fit his wife’s needs as she assumes responsibilities in his absence.