It is an individual piece within the larger series entitled “Plexus.”[1] The “Plexus” project attempts to represent the entire spectrum of visible light using only embroidery thread.
[5] Due to the size constraints of Plexus A1, Dawe could not simply transport a final piece, rather, the entirety of its construction was to take place within the confines of the Renwick Gallery.
[8] This effect refers to the geometric optics that alter the viewer’s perspective, deceiving their eye into seeing a single ray of light instead of a web of string.
He then adapted his sketch into a carefully plotted matrix that identified the precise curvature and blended color gradient of the final quadratic surface.
[11][1] With the assistance of a mechanical lift, Dawe used a telescoping rod as a giant needle to individually string each thread up and through the hooks pinned to the ceiling beams.
[1][10] The process Dawe used to create Plexus A1 is an adaption of a traditional embroidery method practiced in his home village, just outside Mexico City.
[3] However, as a child Dawe’s grandmother refused to teach him this technique, finding that form of needlework to be contradictory to masculine ideals prevalent in Mexican culture at that time.
[12] Given this context, Canadian art historian, Jonathan Rinck views “Plexus A1” as a piece that directly challenges the patriarchal, “machismo” norms prevalent in both Mexico and the U.S..
In an interview with Smithsonian Magazine journalist Anutia Ault, Dawe stated that his stylistic choices, in particular, the use of the rainbow, were never politically motivated.
[12] Patricha Marlarcher, editor for the Surface Design Journal, asserts that Dawe’s artwork functions as a nurturing layer of protection for the spirit, much like “the luminous interiors of the Catholic Churches” in Mexico City.
Plexus A1 has also been noted to shelter and preserve the childlike nature of the human soul, serving as a catalyst that sparks a sense of wonder from times past.