saltygeographies

Katherine G. Sammler

Phenomenological embroidery

Using textiles to transform abstract ideas involving lived physics, more-than-human experience, and politics through the creation of simple, touchable cloth objects. Using embroidery as a method of storytelling, to reflect on process and theory, to create context and connection.

Lived physics

Earth’s spinning core of iron generates a planetary field and cosmic shield, connecting the planetary surface to its deep interior, as well as animal bodies and other bodies in the solar system, in particular the Sun.

Our magnetosphere is not only a cosmic refuge, it provides orientation as a relation between planetary and flesh bodies. Animal sensoria employ inter-generational magnetic memory to navigate migration routes home.

Navigation and migration are deeply politicized, GPS was born from the military, which highlight a Geomagnetic Geopolitics. But Earth is also long overdue for a pole reversal, a messy process with global but uneven implications. Also, anthropogenic impacts of climate change and water depletion are leading to the redistribution of mass equatorward, causing the magnetic poles to wander.

From manifesting invisible fields to depicting animal magnetoception, embroidery is a simple technology to offer a tactile vernacular that converses the entanglement of life with not-life.

Read the article and see more textiles here:

Sammler, K. and L. Hartman. Polar Magnetograms: Stitches in Space. Humanities, Arts, and Society, July(05):1-10. Open access:

https://humanitiesartsandsociety.org/magazine/polar-magnetograms-stitches-in-space/

See slides from American Association of Geographers (2022)

https://saltygeographies.net/portfolio/polar-magnetograms-aag-nyc-2022/

Deep sea sovereignty

A work in progress using an array of recycled fabrics to reproduce the transparent, ephemeral, soft textures, squishy bodies of deep sea creatures on flag-like patches of cloth to be hanged as a series.

comb jelly, ctenophore

“headless chicken monster” aka deep ocean sea cucumber

Patchwork Revolution

an homage to protest, riffing off images from contemporary labor movements, student revolt, anticolonial and antigenocide solidarity organizing in the form of patches to mend tears and repair fabric.

Queer Seas

A series celebrating the heterodox seas and her heterotopian heroes.

seven hand embroidered gay pirate flags are strung across a brightly lit. plant-filled window.
A hand embroidered flag of an orange fruit with green leaves and an orange slice, sparkling with sequins.
Hand embroidered flag of a fern in a sequins-sparkled mug.
A hand embroidered flag of a silver sequins-covered cleaver with motion lines indicating a chop!
A hang embroidered flag of a gold-sequins dagger with the name Jimenez stitched on the handle.
A hand embroidered pirate flag of a stabby crabby. A blue and teal crab with a blue sequins paring knife in its right claw.
A hand embroidered flag of a stabby turtle, green shell with a green sequins utility knife tied on top.
A hand embroidered flag of two mermen skeletons. One if holding a spear and the other is crushing a red heart in his boney hand. Red sequins drops squirt from the assaulted organ.

See also: https://saltygeographies.net/portfolio/screen-prints/