The Bed Work
“I’ve sat and lain in bed for months”
© 2008
If you would like any hi-res images of these photos, or if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me: tamarstone@pipeline.com
Images Copyright © 2008 by Tamar Stone. All Rights Reserved.
No images may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the artist.
The is the first of the life size beds. The stories of girls and women who spent their days “curing” in tuberculosis sanatoriums across America, including Alice James in the late 1880’s to Isabel Smith in the mid 1940’s.
The stories of 16 year old Evelyn Bellak are told through her diary, whose entries are
embroidered throughout the bed coverings as well as images of her diary pages that are printed on the mattress and pillow. Evelyn was at the Ray Brook Sanitarium in Ray Brook, NY.
This piece also includes text from Adirondack Porch Reclining Chair advertisement, as well as using vintage Burnitol sputum cups and a Bullseye Brand shot bag.
You can read more about the history of tuberculosis and taking the cure in the Adirondacks at http://www.adirondackhistory.org/newtb/four.html and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adirondack_Cottage_Sanitarium
Click here: CureBed_Txt090708.pdf to download a PDF of the complete text and specs
Pillow and Back Cushion front with Blanket 1, 2 and Top Sheet pulled back
Note: The pictures below are from both the installation and show opening, Tamar Stone and Christine LoFaso: Women’s Bodies of/as Work, at The Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA.
The show was from September 14 – December 6, 2008.
More information regarding the The Berman Museum of Art be found at: http://www.ursinus.edu/berman
Back Cushion side edge
Hand and machine stitched bed coverings. Machine embroidered text.
Antique “Adirondack Reclining Chair” (antique wooden cure bed with coiled springs)
23” (W) x 66” (L) x 22” (H) at footboard
Mattress Cushions (10 oz. artist canvas with digital ink jet printed image of Evelyn Bellak diary pages.
Cushions are filled cotton pads with cotton batting and tied fabric covered buttons )
Back Cushion 21” (W) x 31” (L) x 4” (H)
Bottom Cushion 21” (W) x 46” (L) x 4” (H)
Pillowcase (vintage cotton bed sheet with digital ink jet printing)
10 1/2” (W) x 18 1/2” (L)
Pillow (8 oz. cotton duck fabric with digital ink jet printed images of Evelyn Bellak diary pages)
10 ” (W) x 17 1/2” (L)
Blanket 1 (vintage wool cream blanket with yellow and black stripes)
Yellow cotton flannel back side: 39” (W) x 65” (L)
Blanket 2 (vintage turquoise wool blanket. Plaid blue/green wool back side with satin trim)
41 1/2” (W) x 67 1/2 ” (L)
Blanket 3/Folded Blanket (vintage brown/tan/cream herringbone tweed wool blanket.
Brown cotton flannel back side) 31” (W) x 52 ” (L) 59” including fringe
Top Sheet (Vintage stained cotton bed sheet) 41” (W) x 66 1/2” (L)
Bottom Sheet/mattress cover (vintage stained cotton mattress cover) 38 1/2” (W) x 70” (L)
Northwest Bullseye Brand Shot Bag (vintage canvas shot bag with printed red logo, filled with Pearl Stone)
6 1/2” (W) x 13 1/2” (L)
Burnitol No. 7 Sputum Cup (antique brown cardboard cup with vintage J&J bulk form lamb’s wool)
2 3/4 x 3” (W) x 2 3/4” (L) x 2 1/4” (H)
Back Cushion front
(10 oz. artist canvas with digital ink jet printed image of Evelyn Bellak diary pages)
21” (W) x 31” (L) x 4” (H)
Pillow case front
(vintage cotton bed sheet with digital ink jet printing) 10 1/2” (W) x 18 1/2” (L)
Antique Burnitol No. 7 Sputum Cups
(antique brown cardboard cup with vintage J&J bulk form lamb’s wool)
2 3/4 x 3” (W) x 2 3/4” (L) x 2 1/4” (H)
Pillow and Back Cushion front with Blanket 1, 2 and Top Sheet pulled back detail
Top Sheet front side (vintage stained cotton bed sheet) 41” (W) x 66 1/2” (L)
Cure Bed frame back side
Back Cushion back side
Mattress Cushions (10 oz. artist canvas with digital ink jet printed image of Evelyn Bellak diary pages)
Back Cushion 21” (W) x 31” (L) x 4” (H)
Bottom Cushion 21” (W) x 46” (L) x 4” (H)
Back Cushion front side
Back Cushion back side
Bottom Cushion front side
Bottom Cushion back side
Northwest Bullseye Brand Shot Bag
front side
back side with machine embroidered text
Back Cushion front side
Pillow front (8 oz. cotton duck fabric with digital ink jet printed images of Evelyn Bellak diary pages)
10 ” (W) x 17 1/2” (L)
Blanket 1 front side (vintage wool cream blanket with yellow and black stripes. Yellow cotton flannel back side.)
39 ” (W) x 65” (L)
Blanket 3/Folded Blanket (vintage brown/tan/cream herringbone tweed wool blanket.
Brown cotton flannel back side) 31” (W) x 52 ” (L) 59” including fringe
Bottom Sheet/Mattress Cover front (vintage stained cotton mattress cover)
38 1/2 (W) x 70” (L)
Pillowcase back side (vintage cotton bed sheet with digital ink jet printed image)
10 1/2” (W) x 18 1/2”
