ABOUT
@bu_graphicdesign
@bostonpainting
@pmp.bu
@bostonsculpture
@buvisualnarrative
she/her
Delaney C. Burns
I am the culmination of all the women who have come before me, a product of their love and labor, a labor that I have seen go unnoticed and unappreciated. This body of work is a celebration of their effort as well as a critique of the gendered roles they have been forced into. I draw upon these intimate, personal moments to understand historical and contemporary issues.
These reflections come from a deep empathy and desire to understand hidden histories that are intertwined with current events today, such as the ongoing struggle for reproductive autonomy. Though often seen as a contemporary conversation, various plants and herbs have been used worldwide for centuries for abortion and birth control. These plants are more than just symbols of reproductive justice and the freedom to choose, they represent strength, hope, and resilience. I juxtapose the plants with text from letters, notes, cards, and diary entries the women in my family have written to capture their individuality and create intimacy with the subject. While many of these experiences are specific to the women in my family, they reflect a larger collective history of gender roles, gendered violence, and generational knowledge.
The physicality of printmaking becomes emblematic of the unseen labor of generations of women. Graining stones, carving wood, and pulling prints become a meditation, while my bookmaking practice parallels the act of mending and sewing. I visually and metaphorically layer other women’s stories and experiences with my own to capture the adoration, rage, and grief I feel when analyzing the roles they have taken on. Through the critique of societal norms and shortcomings, I seek to understand my place in the world and unearth a larger history that connects us.
Risograph with monotype, 11 × 17 in.
Acetone transfer on tea bags, 9½ × 16½ in.
Lithograph, 16¼ × 20 in.