BELLA CARDIM

In this work I weave measuring tapes into a textile structure that deliberately stops before completion. The weaving is interrupted before it reaches its end. It becomes a pause. A moment of reflection and decision.

Will we continue weaving our lives through standards that were imposed on us, or can we choose to stop and reconsider the structures we inherit?

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The work transforms instruments of measurement into threads, shifting their function from control to structure. What once measured bodies now becomes material for weaving.

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Visually, the work draws from memories rooted in Brazil: the colorful ribbons of Senhor do Bonfim, the vibrant palettes of Rio’s beaches, and the sensory abundance of open-air markets. The colors, textures, and repetition echo the visual language that has long interested me, where everyday materials carry cultural memory.

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Weaving has historically been associated with domestic and feminine labor. Here it becomes both homage and critique. A gesture that acknowledges generations of women who quietly sustained social structures through care, repetition, and making, while questioning the standards that continue to shape and discipline our bodies.