Shroud of girlhood
by Isabel Bitman and Elena Sohmen
Size: 120cm x 190 cm
Description: Hand-woven and embroidered fabric by Isabel Bitman (materials: cotton, silk, wool, paint and nylon thread) with illustrations by Elena Sohmen and abstract images by Isabel Bitman.
There is something that presides a room and that object is the bed. The orientation of the bed is very important, everyone has their own. Mine lately is facing a window. All these depressing winter months in Berlin, what saved me was that I woke up with the sun and the first thing I saw was a window with a future perspective and not a white wall without perspective. This winter I found it hard to get out of bed, because it was a sofa and a bed at the same time and the street was cold and dark. Talking to Isa I know that we both had a cold and hard winter in Berlin. We both found it difficult and it was the first winter for both of us in the city. I think what motivated Isa the most this winter was her knitting. For me was creating this curational project. This sheet is full of illustrations I made at that time when every day was negative news and getting out of bed meant spending money I didn't have.
“When lying alone in bed, thoughts feel overwhelming, enveloping and suffocating you, as equally as they may soothe - this is also the role of the blanket. This blanket serves as an emotional map, decorated by visions, of a person running away from the past, looking for a fresh start, hunting for a place that will fulfill them and feel truly like home. But always, even as responsibilities arise and dreams slip through their fingers, at night they return to bed and wrap themselves in their blanket. As the map is explored, the question of ‘where’ becomes less important in the search for home.”- Isabel Bitman
I always saw this cool sheets and rugs at exhibitions and always thought I would love to design one. Thanks to Isa for taking so MANY hours to create this sheet and for mixing her creative universe with mine.