Sew.est is a Scottish textile artist who uses traditionally domestic mediums to explore gender norms, intangible cultural heritage, and craft theory. Through embroidery, knitting, and crochet, Sew.est pays homage to so-called “feminine” artforms, embracing slow making as a way to connect with older generations who have passed down rich histories through oral tradition. Her work revives interest in endangered crafts while critiquing the associations of textiles with innocence and subservience.
Each embroidered piece, along with its title, is drawn directly from a cartoon. Scenes from The Powerpuff Girls, Ed, Edd n Eddy, and The Jetsons are layered with innuendo, puns, and subversive humour that challenge the nostalgia of childhood viewing. This series comprises three embroidered works, each depicting a female subject in a sexualised or reductive way that reinforces gender stereotypes: a faceless secretary, three young girls transformed into a monstrous embodiment of female desire, and a stay-at-home mother portrayed as a consumer-driven, financially dependent housewife. Removed from their original context, these embroidered scenes confront the viewer through small, intimate vignettes.