Choreographies of Fragility
- Jenni Tan
- May 28
- 1 min read
Threaded Embrace #18
Through the fusion of paper and thread, this series merges the structural precision of geometric folding with the delicate intricacy of hand stitching. Created during a period of introspection and stillness, these works became a way to explore the tension between containment and vulnerability—between what is held together and what threatens to come undone.
The process is slow and meditative: each sheet of watercolor paper is carefully scored, folded, and pierced, becoming both surface and structure. Thread is then drawn through, stitch by stitch, creating lines of tension that echo choreographed movement—poised, balanced, precise. This interplay of geometry and gesture is deeply informed by my background in ballet, where form is constantly shaped by discipline and breath.
Philosophically, the work is inspired by the Japanese concept of ma—the space between things— The folds become quiet thresholds; the thread, a connective tissue that binds and holds. There is also a subtle nod to textile traditions, to the unseen labor of sewing, mending, and marking time through the body.
This piece is representative of my broader practice, which straddles abstraction, craft, and embodied memory. I am drawn to processes that are physical yet contemplative, where repetition becomes a form of listening. In these works, I seek to hold space for fragility—not as a weakness, but as a site of quiet strength and tension.
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