Jessica Babbini-Baker’s artistic practice merges ecofeminism and the deep-sea to explore how they intertwine through different mediums. Following on the tradition of fibre art, she investigates the feminist narratives with a contemporary perspective using techniques of weaving, knitting, and crocheting. By continuing to ‘resurrect’ women’s craft, she pushes the mediums further through extended experimentation. Through making and acquiring materials from friends, family, and strangers, the history of the materials is brought in, not only emphasising the importance of up-cycling, but also honouring their past roles in others lives.
Babbini-Baker’s practice of weaving together these different concepts through varying methods of painting, weaving, and fibre arts creates an environment where the fusion of science and art can occur. Through having the deep-sea as a muse, not only can she highlight our responsibility to protect this environment, but also create a place to contemplate our human relationships and how they fit in our current society. As threads intertwine in her artworks, so too do the complex narratives of shared experiences concerning ecofeminism.
Through working with researchers at the National Oceanography Centre, she has been able to see samples and specimens of the environment being artistically explored. With their help and enthusiasm, exploring the deep-sea and gaining a deeper understanding of it (through an artist’s perspective) is made possible. By embracing fluidity, her work deliberately challenges hierarchical structures within the art world and in broader social contexts. By dismantling preconceived ideas of how one should create artwork, she encourages a more inclusive perspective of artistic expression.
