Det växer

2017
embroidery on caps

’Det växer’ consists of a number of caps with hand embroidered plants on them. The plants are selected based on rumors that they can be used as an abortifacient; tansy, pennyroyal and savin juniper are some of the plants used to induce a miscarriage. Unfortunately, the plants are often deadly poisonous even for the pregnant woman, and also inefficient to actually abort the fetus. This project aims to preserve knowledge of these old tricks, a knowledge that can not be lost when the right to a safe abortion comes under threat.

Traditionally the knowledge about abortion has been spread through rumors, something which the underground abortion movement ’Jane’, who operated in Chicago 1969-73, relied on. The knowledge is disseminated hidden in public. In this project, it is embroidered on caps. Rozsika Parker points out in her book ’The Subversive Stitch’ (1984), that embroidery was used to emphasize femininity and virtue in women. In ’Det växer’, the virtuos embroidery contrasts with the “sinful” act of abortion.

Mentha pulegium