Date: Saturday, October 19
Address: Erica Popp Studios + Gallery, 3271 Roger Pl, St. Louis, MO 63116
Media: Fiber, Mixed Media, Photography
Studio Features: Child-Friendly, Restroom, Work For Sale
Aaron McMullin, Vimalbai Korange, 2019. Photograph printed on khadi. Courtesy the artist. 
Aaron McMullin, Pink, 2019. Cotton sweatshirt and thread. Courtesy the artist. 
Aaron McMullin, Untitled, 2019. Cotton t-shirt and thread. Courtesy the artist. 
Aaron McMullin, Bhimrao Waghu Ade, 2015. Digital photograph. Courtesy the artist. 
Aaron McMullin, Ladies drinking tea, 2012. Digital photograph. Courtesy the artist. My art centers around cotton farmers in India and the struggles they face, often resulting in death by suicide. Despite using cotton daily in some form, few of us know about the struggles of cotton farmers or this suicide epidemic. We do not question how our consumption of textiles contributes to these issues. I seek to disrupt unsustainable consumption practices and encourage mindful consumer practices. My artwork explores how we, as consumers of cotton, can become more informed and more connected to the people who grow our clothes. My work primarily focuses on telling the story of cotton farmers in India while highlighting the disconnect between consumers and farmers. Through photography, embroidery, and upcycling second hand clothing, I explore the “out of sight, out of mind” aspects of buying clothing. Most consumers do not think much about where their clothes are from, where the fiber their clothing is made of came from, or who grew it. By hand-embroidering clothing tags and images of cotton farmers and cotton on the exterior of 2nd-hand clothing, I bring to the visual forefront these issues of people and place.
