The Everything Bag
Artist's statement: The first time I decided to run away, I was 4 years old. I decided that a backpack was too small to hold all of the things I absolutely needed for my on-road adventure, so I pulled out one of my dresser drawers, filled it with my favourite clothes and toys and decided I would simply have to drag it down the street behind me.
This work is about the moments I’ve found myself packing my life up into a bag: running away, evacuating, escaping, collecting, holding, going, and leaving.
[Experience the work by selecting a shape at random]
"I’ve often said that packing a bag well is one of my superpowers. I backpacked through Vietnam for a month with a 4kg bag and will never stop bragging about it. Growing up the way I did, I’ve needed to pack my life up more than once, and collect all of my favourite things into whatever bag I have on hand. This work contains all of those favourite and most necessary things, as well as some of the stories that live within them." - Mia Boonen
"I’ve often said that packing a bag well is one of my superpowers. I backpacked through Vietnam for a month with a 4kg bag and will never stop bragging about it. Growing up the way I did, I’ve needed to pack my life up more than once, and collect all of my favourite things into whatever bag I have on hand. This work contains all of those favourite and most necessary things, as well as some of the stories that live within them." - Mia Boonen
"I’ve often said that packing a bag well is one of my superpowers. I backpacked through Vietnam for a month with a 4kg bag and will never stop bragging about it. Growing up the way I did, I’ve needed to pack my life up more than once, and collect all of my favourite things into whatever bag I have on hand. This work contains all of those favourite and most necessary things, as well as some of the stories that live within them." - Mia Boonen