daily ritual

I use dishtowels until they fall apart. Tiny punctures in the warp and the weft will, in time, loosen loops of thread that poke out from the surface. This undoing is the first sign that the entire structure will soon unravel. Not long ago, while holding one such tired dishtowel, I realized that instead of discarding it, I could give it a second life. I was reminded of being at my grandmother’s side during hospice care, using an old dishtowel to gently give extra support at the base of her head. A cloth used daily without thought, upholding us until the end.

A through line of my practice is the use of everyday, domestic items; from utensils to worn clothing, these mundane items are typically overlooked or discarded. My materials are sourced from family members, antique stores, and my own home. It is essential for me to work with objects that embody various timelines; like the unknown stories of these objects, histories (both familial and collective) are interconnected in ways that are often unseen and unarchived.

For this series of works, I rely on ordinary spoons, dishtowels, fabric, and thread. Dishtowels and spoons are two materials which touch every day, but in a predictable function. Here, affixed beneath the towels, the spoons become visible yet hidden; the towel, once used for cleaning, now archives and conceals. Working with these materials continues to point me to larger questions of what lies beneath the surface of the everyday, the repetition of generational patterns, and residues of the past. 

Kathleen Granados is an artist and educator based in New York City. Granados uses her family archives and everyday materials to create works that span sculpture, sound, and public projects. From cultural institutions to historic house museums, Granados has been exhibiting and creating installations at a wide range of spaces since 2009. She holds an MFA from Hunter College, and a BFA from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she is currently a part-time instructor.