Can silence be louder than the cold?
A pair of pastel winter earmuffs features inner earcups lined with abrasive brass wire brushes.
What you see
The photograph depicts a pair of winter earmuffs set against a minimal pastel backdrop. While the exterior displays soft blue plastic and fluffy trimming, the interior surfaces meant to press against the ears are lined with stiff, densely packed brass wire scratch brushes. The piece merges protective winter earmuffs with an industrial wire brush. Earmuffs are everyday accessories associated with plush warmth, quiet insulation, and defense against bitter cold. In contrast, wire brushes are abrasive workshop tools meant to scrape away rust and scour rough metal. This juxtaposition pairs soothing comfort with tactile agony. The sensory promise of cushioning warmth is betrayed by the threat of wire bristles tearing into delicate skin, turning an object of shelter into a device of scraping pain.
