FREEDOM LETTER

Freedom

Materials:

•Embroidery: Natural linen, providing a rustic and organic texture.

•Dress: Cotton garment previously worn by Odette, adding a personal and historical touch.

Poem Excerpt:

The Gravel Walks

“River gravel, concrete, shingle and sand,

the mixed grit of the road bed,

the wet-laid, frost-picked stones of the wall:

enough, for air to soften, for leaves to fall,

for the small-mouthed sigh

of the last-frost breath in its ghost-print of starlight,

for October coming to its end,

for words at last to be said.

All through the spring

she stepped through puddles, not thinking of gravel;

she walked where the eels swam back

on the suck and slap of the incoming current.

And then she stepped in the centre of air.”

—Seamus Heaney

Description:

This piece draws inspiration from James Wright’s poem “The Journey,” which reflects on themes of exploration and self-discovery. The natural linen embroidery symbolizes the intertwining paths and experiences encountered during one’s journey. The inclusion of a cotton dress worn by Odette adds a layer of personal history, representing the individual stories that shape our understanding of freedom. Together, these elements create a tangible representation of the poem’s essence, inviting contemplation on the nature of liberation and the journeys we undertake to achieve it.