Body Stitch Lines

In my experience, I’ve found that there’s often a big difference between how we see ourselves and how others see us. Identity and our sense of self is often more complicated than what we present to others, especially when considering gender and social expectations.

This work reflects on my experience as a transgender artist, focusing on the idea of the outer body versus the inner being. The blue veins of the figure are contained within an outer shell of pink veins, referencing the difference in how we are perceived by others and how we see ourselves. I also thought about the separation between gender identity and gender expression, and how gender roles and expectations are perpetuated in our society. The use of embroidery and applique were used to explore the gender roles associated with textile and fibre arts, as well as my personal experience with stereotypes and defying people’s expectations of me based on my gender expression and identity.

Devin Cypher, 2021
Embroidery on reclaimed fabric, embroidery floss, acrylic yarn, 10’ x 4’