BioWear for the Nuclear Family is a 4-person set of family "survival" uniforms sewn from deconstructed Tyvek biohazard suits. For the making of this piece, I worked late into the night as my husband and young children slept, deconstructing the stitches from biohazard suits and carefully re-stitching the biohazard fabric into daily "uniform" clothing for my family.  I custom made three-piece suits for my husband and four-year-old son, and I made all-purpose dresses for my 18-month old daughter and myself. Each suit has an ID tag sewn inside, including: name, birthdate, blood-type, medical information, and religious preference, as well as next-of-kin information. The mother's dress is embellished with 25 yards of detachable medical gauze.

 

These pieces were used in a performative work where my family wore them in various public spaces including parks and downtowns, as we walked inside of our Ready-To-Wear Survival Pod Umbrellas. The 4 Handmade Tyvek Umbrellas, also made from deconstructed biohazard suits, open to spell H-E-L-P in red embroidery from above. The mobile plastic "pods" extending from the umbrellas are sealed into biohazard boots which the wearer steps into and zipper seals. 

This work is part of my "Homeland Security" Series, a series commenting on mortality, the human desire to control the uncontrollable, acts of futility, and raising a family in a culture of commodified fear.