Post Up – Mallory Tolcher
Post Up
Mallory Tolcher
As an artist and athlete, I am interested in challenging societal norms and redefining femininity within the traditionally male-dominated realm of sport. Through a series of textiles installed on metal rims and wooden backboards, “Post Up” reimagines the conventional basketball net through the intricate and domestic medium of crocheted lace.
Lacework and crochet have been integral to women’s creative expression, serving as profound forms of artistic craftsmanship that often went unrecognized within patriarchal systems. Like basketball, lace allows for creativity, improvisation, and skill within a structured arena. Drawing inspiration from historical lacework techniques and motifs, I designed each mesh to be meticulously handcrafted with white thread, to create intricate designs that play off the form and colour of a standard basketball mesh. By integrating these traditionally feminine practices into the hyper-masculine sport of basketball, I aim to confront ingrained perceptions of athletics, subvert the confined definition of softness in such contexts, and emphasize the power and strength that lies within femininity.
*Featured Image from Nothing But Net – 2020 © Mallory Tolcher
This exhibition is presented to you as part of the Mississippi Mills Bicentennial Celebrations; the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum is proud to be hosting this exhibit as part of it.
