B R O K E N - W I N G E D
B I R D
Broken-Winged Bird is a deeply personal and collaborative work, created after my experience at Art Basel as part of the Bridge to Basel Competition organized by the Fashion for All Foundation. The inspiration came from my interactions with artists and gallerists, particularly Ki Smith, a Manhattan-based gallerist known for his public art and disruptive exhibitions. His stories of early art shows in parks—some that even led to his arrest—spoke to me, igniting my own desire to create art that disrupts norms while giving voice to historically disenfranchised and under-resourced communities.
In that spirit, Broken-Winged Bird was conceived as a "living dress" upon which any individual could contribute by adding an origami bird—creating a space where the public could actively participate and evolve this piece. It was designed as a canvas for collective expression, where anyone could add their messages, dreams, or reflections. The dress quickly became a symbol, a living monument to the endurance and survival of under-resourced communities, transforming with each personal story added to it. Its dome-like skirt, inspired by the sunrise the Bridge to Basel competitors witnessed on the final day of our journey at Art Basel, embodies a sense of hope, renewal, and community.
To engage others, I created the first three origami birds—each representing a significant person in my life. These birds, folded from paper and attached to the dress, became symbols of vulnerability, connection, and growth. I took the dress to various public spaces, where I invited others to join in the creation of these birds, writing messages of hope, love, and reflection. The birds were folded from white paper, a color traditionally symbolic of peace, purity, and love in many cultures. They represent more than just beauty—they are a call for peace, a silent protest in the face of current sociopolitical challenges, and a reminder of the quiet power of unity and shared expression.
After carrying the dress through various locations across Los Angeles, I took it to the beach at sunset, where I photographed it—capturing both the dress and the origami birds, as well as the powerful messages they carried. It was during this moment that I folded a bird with a letter to the person I have always loved—my soulmate—and attached it above the heart of the dress. Writing this letter was my act of vulnerability, a public sharing of something deeply personal, and an invitation for others to connect with their own stories.
Broken-Winged Bird has become more than just a garment; it has become a living, breathing work of art—an evolving symbol of love, survival, and collective consciousness. It is a celebration of the power of shared stories, of coming together to create something greater than ourselves.
