Bound Man 1957

Lenore Tawney created "Bound Man" using weaving techniques, though the date is unknown. She belonged to a generation of artists who, in the mid-20th century, aimed to elevate fiber art from craft to fine art. In "Bound Man," we see a figure constricted, swaddled in layers of textile that both conceal and reveal. This work resonates with post-war anxieties about the body and control, themes prevalent in the feminist art movement which was beginning at the time Tawney made this. The act of binding might be seen as a form of suppression, yet the texture and layering create a sensuous, almost protective embrace. Tawney explored themes of spirituality and interconnectedness throughout her career. Her choice of weaving, a medium traditionally associated with women's work, reclaims and transforms these associations into a powerful expression of personal and collective experience. This piece invites us to consider the many ways we are bound, physically, emotionally, and socially, and the potential for finding beauty and strength even within constraint.