John Bybee
Negated Empathy, 2023
embroidery on cotton installation variable
looking at the tradition of embroidery samplers from my time growing up Mormon and applying the struggles of my queerness against that backdrop. I mixed symbols of my past with phrases used against me by friends and family while I was struggling to come to terms with my sexuality.
John Bybee
Flagging, 2022
hand dyed and found handkerchiefs in pockets cut from jeans installation variable
this work explores the changes in queer cruising culture adapting from the hanky code of the 70s and 80s into the online hookup app culture of today. I mixed found hankies with ones I designed and dyed myself using a combination of batik and pochoir in pockets cut from my old jeans to talk about my experiences as a queer person from then to now.
John Bybee
Trauma Response, 2023
tattoo ink and embroidery thread on cotton. stretched over wooden armature 5" x 14" x 3"
this work is about drawing parallels between mending and healing. The abstract bodily form is a stand in for the body the use of tattoo ink to stain/dye the fabric connects to the body and how our experiences leave marks on us. the mending techniques connect with the different ways we process and heal ourselves.
