Possessions

Volume 3, Issue 3 - September 2011

Margaret Irene Baczewski
Tucson, Arizona, United States

People with mental illness are widely misunderstood by others. For my senior thesis project at the University of Michigan’s School of Art and Design, I created a series of four wearable objects that served as cathartic aids to different psychological disorders. For every piece, I did extensive research on the disorder and how it affects the life of the person with the disease and those around them. By imagining myself in their shoes, I created wearable objects that could potentially comfort a patient’s major symptoms. The causes of psychological disorders are mainly speculative and are not visible like a germ or a tumor. This invisibility is one of the barriers preventing others from seeing psychological disorders as real diseases. Those who struggle daily with life seem fragile but are actually much stronger than they appear. My hope was to make that inner strength seen and appreciated by others through these bold wearable objects. 

Double depression: thoughts of suicide Margaret Irene Baczewski Bronze, stethoscope, fur, locks of hair from loved ones, rubber, epoxy resin Wearable object

Generalized anxiety disorder: fear of public places Margaret Irene Baczewski Brass, nickel-silver, soil from home, blanket, epoxy resin Wearable object

Obsessive compulsive disorder: pressure symmetry Margaret Irene Baczewski Copper, nickel-silver, weights, soap, rubber, suede Wearable object	Trichotrillomania: hair pulling Margaret Irene Baczewski Copper, nickel-silver, lock of hair, feathers, epoxy resin, steel wire Wearable object

MARGARET IRENE BACZEWSKI was born and raised in Michigan and attended the University of Michigan's School of Art and Design where she earned a BFA in spatial art with an emphasis in metalworking.

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