2001.53.3

Bat and Bowl Dress
c 1970
Gift of the artist
2001.53.3


Dress is salmon color cotton cloth, with hand-painted, screen-printed, and direct-dyed images in blue, yellow, white, green, and red. Images are of Chinese-style embroidery motifs--peonies, bats, bowls, and Monkey, as well as some geometric checkered and floral patterns. The Chinese embroidery motifs are significant to the artist's body of work--she did extensive research on the use and meanings of embroidery motifs in China. For example, the bat motif is associated with happiness because the word for "bat" and "happy" in Chinese are similar. The neckline of the dress is decorated with an appliqued piece of plain green cotton cloth, which is edged in blue and red embroidery and features some round areas of reverse applique, revealing the fabric beneath. The dress is lined with goldenrod color nylon. The hem is lined with the same green fabric used in the decorative yoke.

Used: wearable art | Adult | Woman | Day | Evening

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