P. Hatchett

RS: In what ways have you experienced touch, or how has touch changed for you through the pandemic?
PH: Since quarantine began last year, my relationship to touch has journeyed from a feeling of absence towards a newfound appreciation of touch with myself and others. I have never been a very physical person, but during quarantine I began to feel isolated both physically and mentally from touch. Because of this, I developed an increased awareness of my body and its needs. I had the time and attention to care for myself in a new way, and become more aware of my pain, pleasure, and all the in-betweens. Also, now that time with close friends has become more frequent, I have savored the ability to be around my people and share a meal, listen to music, and just cherish those intimate interactions. It almost feels like I took these things for granted before the pandemic. I have realized that touch is a much more extensive concept than I had previously believed. Touch is an internal feeling of love, it is not always tangible.


RS: How do you define and or understand resilience as it relates to owning an identity that is marginalized?
PH: In my experience with mental illness, resiliency is the method for protecting and sustaining my body and life. Most of the time, it seems to be the only option for overcoming and moving forward with hope. What else can I do except carry through? Resiliency is exhausting, and requires a special kind of strength--body, mind, and soul. It demands acute self-awareness, independence, and determination for the future. Resilience is brutal, and a monumental endeavor. I am grateful for my own perseverance, and for a mutually supportive community of shared experiences.


RS: How does Austin play a role in your experience of touch and or resiliency?
PH: I lived in Austin for two years attending UT, then transferred over to a school in Chicago for two more years. Since last July, I have been back in Austin taking a leave of absence because of the pandemic. It has been a painful, but also immensely rewarding journey. Before moving, I was sexually assaulted. It shattered me, and I didn't know what to do with my life or how to move forward. I trained my mind to feel completely numb, and it was a very dark period in my life.. Among other things, I especially struggled with any form of intimate touch, and many times still do. In a desperate leap of faith, I decided to move forward with my transfer to Chicago. The shift in environment was deeply healing, and meeting new people while staying in touch with Austin friends was challenging and beautiful. I was blessed to be surrounded by supportive communities in both cities, and to safely and confidently share our stories. Being back in Austin, I have had to push through triggering moments, but it has made me fully realize my resilience and vast growth in the past few years. My mental health has improved greatly, although it is a constant endeavor. I have been working to repair my relationship to touch, and am no longer fearful. The pause in touch/physical interaction due to the pandemic has helped me examine and manage my trauma from a new perspective. Austin has played a remarkable role in my experience as a person, a woman, and a survivor.


RS: What was your experience in creating your skin prints?
PH: Creating the skin prints brought me feelings of joy and empowerment. I became aware of the intricacies of my skin as I peeled away the film--the pores, hairs and patterns that make my being. Noticing these intricacies, I was fascinated with myself in a way that I have never felt before. I felt a sense of safety, agency, dignity; and a spiritual connection to my physical form. After the process I became very excited to see the ways that others had interpreted the project and to view the intricacies both on their skin and in their experiences.


RS: Where on your body did you choose to create your prints from? Why were/are these spots important to you?
PH: The first print I created was on my right breast. This was a charged location for me due to experiences of trauma, dysphoria, maturation, femininity, censorship, etc. I wanted to feel a sense of agency and connection to my chest, and admire the art it creates. The second print was taken from the bottom of my left foot. Through my struggle with mental health, dancing has played a significant role in my healing and internal peace. Through my childhood until college I danced ballet, and it was my main source of expression and therapy. Ballet was the catalyst for my interest in music, and since then I have found that same therapeutic feeling by going to live shows, or even just dancing at home. I feel a deep connection to my feet for providing my body with such a healing tool.