Let’s Rage

Let’s Rage is an exploration of the transformative potential of rage, a complex emotion often misunderstood as purely destructive. By creating pillows stuffed with shredded rage collected from the community, I invite viewers to engage in a process of catharsis and healing. Each pillow contains fragments of raw, unfiltered emotion which have been transformed into soft, inviting forms that challenge the negative connotations typically associated with rage. 

The pillows are placed within an environment centered around a dorm bed in a dorm room. This setting is significant, as 1 in 5 women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime, with a staggering number of these incidents occurring in college settings. The dorm bed thus becomes an anchor for my own rage and a symbol of the broader societal issue at hand.

The act of shredding and stuffing the rants into pillows symbolizes the necessary process of transformation in personal and societal healing. The choice of chiffon as a material is deliberate, offering a delicate, luxurious quality that allows the words to subtly emerge while simultaneously creating an inviting, comforting surface. The material contrast between the softness of the pillows and the intensity of the emotions they contain reflects the potential for softness and healing to emerge from tumultuous feelings. 

By inviting the public to contribute their own rants, Let’s Rage becomes a living, evolving piece, which fosters a shared dialogue on the power of rage. This project encourages a reimagining of it as a unifying force for collective healing and change. I encourage people to engage with the piece by sitting on the bed and pillows, writing down any thoughts or stories of rage. Once finished, the shreds can be contributed to the ever-growing piles of shredded paper that fill the space. In this shared space of vulnerability and strength, rage is no longer something to be silenced, but instead is something to be seen, held, and transformed.