The Stitched Heart Bearer (Aunia Kahn)

• Polymer Clay, Glass Beads, Acrylic, Hand Dyed Fibers/Textiles, Embroidery
• 15″ x 5″ x 1″

The Stitched Heart Bearer is dressed in grey linen with a red bird stitched over her ribs. The bird isn’t decoration, it’s the thing she carries outside so her body can breathe. Some griefs live too deep inside. They press against your lungs, take up space meant for air. So you stitch them onto cloth, wear them where you can see them, let them exist in daylight instead of choking you in the dark. The red bird sings what can’t be spoken. It holds the weight of what was loved and lost, what flew away, what you had to release even though your hands wanted to keep holding. They understand that some things need to be held where you can see them, needing air and light to stay honest.