A Seamstress's Notes

The series "A Seamstress’s Notes” was created in relation to the artist’s experiences connected with everyday work at a post office. It can be seen as an affectionate collection of secret love letters addressed to different people, from different places, but using thread. Vatanen learned how to sew when her grandmother’s eyesight weakened and she needed help. Her mother and grandmother frequently sewed clothing, toys, and other crafts in her household. Vatanen still uses her mother’s sewing machine today to keep her familiarized with this generational legacy. Furthermore, she started using personal items as a starting point for her works, amongst others the green page from the artist’s old passport (Notes #20), stamped in November 2002 when Vatanen was on an artist residency in West Africa. During this trip, Vatanen reflected upon her heritage and realized how privileged she was to have a European passport. Thereupon, she started encoding these personal thoughts and memories on one of its pages by using green thread. Since then, Vatanen has repeatedly utilized fragmented stationery to resemble a private diary that can only be read by its owner.