The Weight of Softness

The Weight of Softness is a mixed media installation by Ece Batur that reflects on the quiet endurance of vulnerability and the lasting impact of gender-based violence. A large suspended figure, sewn from fabric and stuffed into a sagging, distorted form, hangs tethered to the ground by thick red yarn. Its surface bears hand-stitched wounds and torn patches, echoing trauma and imperfect repair. From its lower body, red yarn spills onto a worn Turkish rug, evoking lifeblood, memory, and the weight of domestic histories. Though soft in material, the figure’s posture speaks of exhaustion, asking how long a body can carry sorrow before it breaks. The work invites viewers to witness the emotional labor that often goes unseen.