Tear Down This House
Embroidery on found linoleum
Measurements variable
2016
Measurements variable
2016
Long ago we were tearing up the floors in our house to uncover the original wood. Inside the bedroom closet I uncovered a section of old linoleum. I instantly fell in love with the colors, the patterns, and the record of its life marked and worn into the surface. I gently removed it from the closet and ended up taking it with me across nine states, carefully protecting it for years.
Many years earlier I encountered a book* which became very important to me. I carried the words from that book with me for much longer than this linoleum until one day they were ready to be joined. Along with its own story the linoleum now holds the words that are pierced and sewn into its skin. A reminder to do the deep work and move beyond patching surface tears to find the treasure beneath, no matter how long it takes.
* "The Illuminated Rumi" by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, interpreted by Coleman Barks
Many years earlier I encountered a book* which became very important to me. I carried the words from that book with me for much longer than this linoleum until one day they were ready to be joined. Along with its own story the linoleum now holds the words that are pierced and sewn into its skin. A reminder to do the deep work and move beyond patching surface tears to find the treasure beneath, no matter how long it takes.
* "The Illuminated Rumi" by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, interpreted by Coleman Barks