Idiot Strings originated as a memorial to the loss of three uncles who tragically took their own lives, who suffered from the experience of boarding school, the Vietnam War, and abuse by the clergy. Idiot strings are tethers that hold one’s mittens. This work draws attention to the staggering elevated rates of suicide among Alaska Native and Native American peoples. Alaska Natives are three times more likely to take their own lives than the rest of the nation. In both material and form, these pouches and ties evoke the body and suggest its absence. Casting overlapping shadows through line and movement demonstrates that one loss touches many. Since beginning this series in 2005, I have made eight sets of Idiot Strings and countless two-dimensional works addressing suicide. My work has evolved to encompass not only personal tragedy but also a wider sense of collective loss, today more poignant than ever.
Sonya Kelliher-Combs