Evening Wear - Front     Evening Wear - Left Side     Evening Wear - Back     Evening Wear - Right Side

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The music accompanying this video is selected from the composition “Distance”, written and performed by Sophia Exiner

Extract from  Wendy Davies artist statement

The regeneration of nerve fibres damaged by the polio virus was the creative impetus for this work. Lots of different threads, ribbons, wool and acrylic knitting fibres were sandwiched between layers of water soluble, plastic- like fabric and sewn at high speed on my sewing machine to make a new fabric.

My initial intention was only to cover the exterior of the plaster cast. However, the clearly visible scarring on what could easily be the spinal column and indentations on the interior made me shudder. As a child who’d had polio at two and over half my spine fused as a result of scoliosis at twelve, there were just too many unpleasant memories of my plaster years to allow this to pass unaddressed.

So why “Evening Wear”? The premature decline of the regenerated nerve endings, after years of faithful service, is causing anguish to many who have lived full and rewarding lives and who are now experiencing the late effects of polio or post-polio syndrome. In our twilight years, we can but dream of the social lives of yesteryear and find new and creative ways to reach out.