Date of Submission

Spring 2024

Academic Program

Film and Electronic Arts

Project Advisor 1

Masha Shpolberg

Abstract/Artist's Statement

Artist Statement

Hannah Cline

This work, entitled, “The Unmade Self: An Exploration of Material and Craft”, examines the process of hand-sewing a late 18th century dress from beginning to end through a variety of visual forms, firstly, that of the film, and secondly, an installation of the finished garments and raw materials that were used in the creation of each piece.

Throughout my experience working with film, I have found that certain aspects of the film process did not capture my creative interests. So, for this project, I decided to create a work of art that encompasses other interests as well. After initially becoming interested in sewing around age 18, I quickly delved into the realm of historical fashion and the creation of it. I have dabbled in sewing patterns from the mid-twentieth century with a modern sewing machine, but I have a keen interest in several earlier time periods. I decided to recreate a late 18th-century ensemble for this project as I have some familiarity in recreating these garments in the past. However, this time I wanted to focus on entirely hand-sewing each garment.

In the film each garment’s lengthy process is condensed into several moments with an aim to emphasize the monotonous feeling often accompanying the work. I aimed to give the film a warm and intimate visual quality, through the use of long and close shots, in order to reflect the very detail-oriented nature of the process. The poetry, which is recited in the film and presented in the installation, is intended as a reflection from the dual perspective of the fabric and tools as they are transformed through this process, as well as my own thoughts and experiences while sewing. Additionally, the poems act as a reflection on the broader personal experiences of moving through life and experiencing the world and the people around me.

The display that accompanies the film provides a tangible element that allows the viewer to see and feel both the materials and the finished garments. The display, from the yards of fabric and thread to the boning, is meant to give a deeper understanding of the variety of materials and tools that are needed in order to create a finished garment of this time period. Additionally, the photos, combined with the finished pieces gives the viewer the ability to see the finished product of the process that is filmed. With all of these elements combined, the viewer will be able to get a glimpse of the full story behind the garment, from the beginning of the process to the end.

Open Access Agreement

On-Campus only

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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