Billie Theide, "Whose Right to Choose?"

Materials: Copper, Sterling Silver, Pearls

Dimensions: 38" long, Chain Links are 0.5" W x 1" Tall, Lock Pendant is 1.75" l x 1" W, Pearls are 5-6 mm wide, varying in width. Large Pearl Dimensions: 1" L x 0.5" W

About the piece:

Much has changed since April 19, 2022, when I accepted the invitation to participate in Plan B. In early May, a draft opinion authored by Supreme Court Justice Alito was leaked and published by Politico. The draft opinion, if ratified, would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision providing access to abortions. The draft sent shockwaves throughout the country. As a result, my approach to this process changed. "Whose Right to Choose?" is a visual commentary on women’s reproductive rights in a time of uncertainty. The 38-inch-long necklace presents a contrast between the beauty of fertility and obstructions to reproductive freedom. Freshwater pearls are signifiers for human ova and a single Biwa pearl represents fertilization and fetal development. These elegant elements are positioned in opposition to a heavily oxidized hand-fabricated security chain and padlock.

 

About the artist:

As for my work in general, I see beauty in the mundane. I am preoccupied with displacing tangible artifacts to influence perceptions, trigger memories, and alter realities. My creative practice is driven by my passion for history and collecting, an interest in hybridization, the absurd, and the human propensity for excess and ornamentation. I look beyond material and process; I am comfortable working in a variety of materials and select those that are suited to an articulated and researched concept.