Reina Quinonez
Holding Space In Our Thoughts
Class of: 2025
Major: Fashion Design BFA
Medium: Wire, Mohair knit, Found screws
Faculty: Aviva Maya Shulem
Prompt: This project investigates relationships between the inner world and the outer world. In our new daily reality, each of us experiences an inside and outside of spaces in entirely new ways. Physical spaces, we found a temporary home. We are tasked with developing a body part cover inspired by exoskeletons’ anatomy, and it explores forms of protecting ourselves from their world. How is this shell a metaphor for our state of mind? Our emotions? Our physical being?
Also known as “Uni”, the sea urchin is considered an edible delicacy, serving as one of the few forms of food to provide our rare 5th taste: “umami”. The exoskeleton of a sea urchin provides complexity and duality in the symmetry of lines and dots in contrast to its irregular and somewhat sporadic set of spikes. It is interesting to me that such a hard and scary exterior can be so compelling and satisfying to the eye, protecting one of the most valuable delicacies inside. The red sea urchin is often venomous, leaving people at risk of danger in the attempts to crack into its precious exterior. As people, we protect our innermost thoughts and vulnerabilities in the same way.
My project examines the concept of duality; hard vs. soft, inviting vs. repelling, green vs. red. As we grow as people, it’s necessary to let down our walls. Yet, that time is also when we are most likely to be hurt. This creates the ultimate paradox, a two-sided coin of growth and vulnerability. “Holding Space In Our Thoughts” is what it looks like to be in that space, keeping the most valuable (and vulnerable) part of ourselves protected.
