Justine Esquivel-Petrov: ENSOMA

02 Jun Justine Esquivel-Petrov: ENSOMA

Justine Esquivel-Petrov:
E N S O M A
June 1 – July 1, 2018

Artist Reception: Sunday, June 3rd 3-6PM

Justine Esquivel-Petrov is a researcher and artist who uses design as a method of inquiry to explore the intangible, complex, and innately subjective space of care. Her work centers around those who are typically excluded from the conversation to ask what they would design for themselves by way of practices, tools, and systems. To that end, her approach is interdisciplinary and collaborative. The outputs are not precious; they are meant to be activated by imagination, physical use, and dialog that asks the tough questions of “ What if…? ” and “ How will we…? ” in order to move together toward a different reality in which every individual feels safe, seen, and whole within our system of care.

Justine recently received her MFA from the Media Design Practices program at Art Center College of Design.

Ensoma, a variation of the Greek word ensomatóno meaning embody, is one of many potential responses to the question of what gynecological care would look like if re-designed by survivors of sexual violence. Existing within the liminal space between the home and care clinics, Ensoma supports survivors prior to and throughout their exams. The embodied practices and people that make-up this space are based on intimate research with survivors who articulated a collective desire to move from universal routine care toward informed, personal, and ritualized care that helps them to feel safe and seen.

This project is in response to our collective lack of discourse about the embodied ramifications of trauma on individual well-being. We are in a time of cultural reckoning as personal stories reveal the severe and pervasive impacts of sexual violence. One of our responses must be to center care around survivors and, more specifically, collaboratively re-design gynecological care practices which can trigger responses such as flashbacks, dissociation (leaving the body), or even avoidance of potentially lifesaving care.

The pieces in this exhibition are available for purchase as either individual installation elements, or as wearable and functional art. All of the artworks come with mp4 players programmed with specific wav files created for that garment, and the artist is donating ALL of her proceeds to the Grateful Garment Project, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that every victim of a sexual crime who crosses the threshold of a Sexual Assault Response Team facility or who seeks medical attention and/or law enforcement involvement is provided with whatever new clothing, toiletries, snacks, and other miscellaneous items that he or she may require, to reduce further negative impact against their being. That mission encompasses all victims of sexual violence, including (but not limited to) Commercially Sexually Exploited Children and victims of Human Sexual Trafficking.