I’d like to ask a question. What’s wrong with obviousness?
The way I work is, I think, akin to play. I have an idea, or find some materials or one thing suggests another. I work with textiles mainly, so I get out the scissors, pins, needle and thread or sewing machine. I then construct things, I might write or embroider some text on a piece of clothing. Recently I embroidered some text I’d written about how I’m feeling a bit ragged lately, and perhaps in need of repair. I stitched it onto a worn out petticoat. I alluded to the underneath-ness of it, covered with a respectable-ness. I quite like it… but it is obvious. I find myself thinking I could be more obtuse. I could make my audience work a little harder perhaps.
But in making one part of an audience work harder, you lose some of the others who are drawn in by the accessibility of the work. I want to keep these people. I like them.
