Chores ᐧ 09 Incarnations

09 Incarnations

Words by Shaina Yang

The flat wooden paddle
ubiquitous
in my family
is a single object in a million forms
its tapered edge blackened at the top of its widened head
its handle pressed into the lines of a hundred palms
of ancestors who passed it down to me.
It sits in a tall cup with the other tools of
my grandmother’s kitchen
In my father’s hand as he makes shrimp
with juicy heads still on
black eyes hard
shell bruising opaque with heat
The same object as the two
or three
in my kitchen drawer

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Chores is a collection of eighteen hand-embroidered vintage chore coats, celebrating the beauty of earnest labor. Each piece is a vintage garment transformed through a unique pattern of hand-embroidery, inspired by the unintentional yet beautiful splatters left on an old painting smock.

Because they are vintage pieces, each coat is slightly different in size, fabric, and condition.

09 Incarnations measures:

The fabric is a midweight cotton twill with black stitching, hard-wearing with a soft but structured drape. It is in good condition despite a few small holes: two on the left sleeve near the elbow, a cluster on the right sleeve near the wrist (see photo), and one on the back. The hole on the back has been repaired, but those on the sleeves remain.

Please hand wash cold with mild detergent, and line dry. Warm iron on reverse with a little steam.

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Joy's brother Justin (in photos) is 5'5" tall and measures:

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*Choose what you pay:

$380 - Covers materials and labor for creating this piece

$480 - Helps sustain my practice by paying for work that happens beyond garment construction alone

$580 - Contributes to the growth of my practice, allowing me to invest in tools, people, and future projects + comes with a surprise bonus item

Please note: If any one pricing tier is marked as "sold out," the item is no longer available. This is due to a quirk in the website's inventory management system that Joy has yet to find a good solution for. Thank you for understanding!