I have recently been reading the Journal of John Woolman, an eighteenth century Quaker who writes of a simple lifestyle and the dangers of luxury. As a result, in thinking about this Call for Submissions, I felt prompted to take an inventory of my closet. Even with limiting myself to gathering only my black clothing, the shocking result was a collection of sixty-five items, and I began to ponder the implications of this privileged life. How much is enough? Is this a sustainable and ethical lifestyle? What are the impacts of production, labour, global transportation, and waste management that are tied to these items? This artwork, Confessional, presents my wardrobe of black clothing in a screen-like grid of repentance.

Marguerite MacIntosh began her visual art practice after retiring from work as an architect and raising five children with her husband. Her work often considers time and place as well as pointing to an awareness of the present moment and the liminal spaces in which we find ourselves. She lives with her husband and their dog Beau in Summerland, British Columbia.

If you would like to learn more about MacIntosh’s work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram.