"Embraced"
human hair, video
2021

"Embraced" explores the cultural background of female sexuality and repressive societal beliefs about body hair.

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The strong rope made of hair is made by an archaic spinning method, where the carded, corrected and braided yarn is made of women's hair instead of wool. Hair is a reflection of the inner world of a person, and “Embraced” connects the personal ties of hair with Estonian traditional handicraft practice. The rope has become a tool for exploring the concepts of control, sex, domination, submission and fragility.

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The Shibari rope technique creates a memory of the body. A body, regardless of it's gender, ethnicity and age differences wants to be held. It wants to be in a safe space – both mentally and physically. It is difficult for a woman to take control of her own body in a society where it tends to be objectified. The knots in the shibari technique express liberation, retention, and finding control through loss of control.