Unraveled

(2026)

In Unraveled, Selma explores holes in clothing. A tear can appear violent, yet equally fragile and vulnerable. Through drawings and material experiments, she studies their forms and investigates the tension between presence and absence.

A hole is not merely an opening, but a trace of something that was once whole. Rather than presenting a finished outcome, Unraveled unfolds as an ongoing research process. Alongside textile experiments, Selma works with photographs and printed imprints of holes placed onto the human body, allowing absence to shift from garment to skin.

For Selma, holes symbolise letting go and the emptiness that follows. The work emerges from a period of emerging adulthood, marked by separation from parts of her former self and from meaningful relationships. Such ruptures leave (visible) traces. Using textile as a medium on the body, she seeks to make this pain tangible. The rupture is not concealed, but made visible and wearable.

By Selma Dooremalen

Artwork

Selma Dooremalen,
Unraveled In Public, 2026

Photograph on Forex,
42×60 cm

Selma Dooremalen,
Unraveled Me/You, 2026

Photograph on Forex,
42×60 cm