Red Card

 We are on the mend and even tho I love not feeling physically sick with aches and pains and grunge; I think I love having my brain back more!  I have really noticed how my brain is getting back to normal - seeing connections and getting enthused, wondering about new techniques and ideas. It feels good.

So I managed to finish my book Red Card.

I made my first artists' book about Australian women being killed by their partners or ex-partners back in 2014. Ten years later, after much hand-wringing, promises, plans and consultations, very little has changed. 

 

In this book I give red cards to governments, lawmakers and law enforcers who need to do so much more to stop women being killed. I give a red card to those men who quite simply, need to stop killing women. I also give a red card to the media who continue to blame women and describe him as a good bloke. 

In many sports a red card sees you sent off the field or court, no longer able to participate in the game or match. 

 

I am weary and tired that so little action is taken against this domestic terrorism. I repeat and repeat and repeat STOP. JUST STOP.

 I like the combination of black and stitched running stitch and the red machine stitching. When the book cover is open fully and laid flat and face down; the red machine stitching takes on the form of a cross. With the cover closed, the horizontal stitching flatlines...

As ever, I do love a random, dangling thread. The horizontal stitching is nice and clean, but the spine sewing leaves these threads. Domestic terrorism is tangled and messy for those stuck within it.

A lot of stamping of the word STOP took place. The inside cover and the central pages and pocket.

The seven cards inside the pocket read: STOP killing women; STOP blaming women; STOP saying he's a good bloke; STOP finding excuses for him; STOP pretending it's normal; STOP making women responsible; and JUST STOP.

STOP women being killed.

STOP killing women.

STOP saying he's a good bloke.

JUST STOP.