Sister Birch: Understanding Emotional Identity
Sister Birch was on display at Soap Box Arts in Burlington Vermont in July of 2020.
The show featured six handmade birch bark lamps, two geometric birch bark wall pieces and a video projected on the wall showing the process of making.
The idea of Sister Birch is an exploration of emotional identity when faced with an event that strips away external identifiers. Our emotional identities are defined by how we respond to situations that evoke a response and how that shapes our perception of who we are. Sharing our experiences with others fosters genuine human connection, which in turn helps us investigate and validate our own sense of self.
When examining emotional identity, it is powerful to question how we see ourselves; am I defined by external things that are tangible, or internal values that are more abstract? Is my identity connected to what I produce? This project aims to use process and material exploration to parallel our own journey of self-discovery.
The audio annotating the video is from a “Virtual Connection Circle” where ten participants were asked a question about their emotional identity and shared their responses with the group. The idea behind the “Connection Circle” came from a collaborator on the project, Bliss Baker.