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The interactive installation Uncumbrance is my way of rehabilitating Wilgefortis (also known as Uncumber and Liberata), a woman crucified for sprouting a beard overnight after praying for a disfigurement to prevent an unwanted marriage. Although her cult was once nearly as celebrated as that of the Virgin Mary, the Catholic Church has actively discouraged her veneration, most likely due to the gender subversive cause of her martyrdom. Because divine blessing left her paradoxically both vulnerable and holy, she represents our social struggle with gender identity.

beard 10
Uncumbrance
brass, used coffee filter, thread, offerings
9 ft. x 1 ft. x 1.5 ft.
2008