Such statements, which have been recorded before and will probably be uttered again, are conjoined over the course of our conversation with stories about her friends and family. These references are not done in a showy way or to
elicit awe, but merely are facts that provide an entry into the story and/or experience. As such, we take all as genuine – as such experiences were confirmed across multiple meetings and conversations. And it is through that honesty and vulnerability we begin to understand that Kate and her posture, too, are genuine. It is then we understand her intention and meaning of her art.
Consider, for example, instances which mark important points within the arc of Daudy’s career. First among these is Kate’s admission of being a shy person, who as a young woman would write notes which she would then place in hems of her clothing. Clearly, thoughts and words were important to her. Daudy wanted to stay close to them, hold onto them as they not only meaningfully reflected what she thought was important; but, equally, by keeping hold of them through wearing them, it is suggested thoughts needed a physical and outward expression. Kate effectively admitted such during an interview with with Margot J.W.::
When I was a child, I was very shy. I used to fill my pockets with objects that were in a sort of code that made me feel like I was carrying my home with me wherever I was. Also, I used to pick the hems and jackets of my clothes and put poems and words inside them so I had this armor of sorts of words and objects that made me feel safe and secure.1
With such an attachment to thought and words it comes as no surprise that Daudy first wanted to be a poet – and so many of her works involve letters, words, phrases, and poems placed on objects such as trees or dresses or buildings or
on walls or photographs or tents. This practice – which ultimately grew into her art – also had
Kate placing phrases and poems on the walls of her home. The felt markings were not only an inexpensive means for decorating her house, but it was Daudy’s way of creating a place of wonder for her children. As is the case with all of Kate’s work, the action was grounded in a much deeper history.
In a video recording made of Daudy describing her writing on a found wedding dress that had been discarded by some anonymous bride, Kate explained how this practice of writing on objects had its origins in an ancient Chinese literary tradition. She explained how tortoise shells and scapulae were used to predict the future. The bones, known as ‘oracle bones,’ would be burnt. Shamans would then divine the future from the way in which the bones and shells cracked. Once divined, the shamans would inscribe their predictions on them. Over time, the practice evolved into an art form, with ruling emperors composing poems to be inscribed on works of art that held special significance to them.
Daudy has followed a similar trajectory across her career, as her words and poems found themselves used in a variety of mediums and through a variety of objects that hold significance for her.
I decided that I was going to try to convey some of the lessons that I’d learned about being a human being from the refugees to people around me in my community.
– Kate Daudy, Responding to her work
Am I My Brother's Keeper?
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