Artists Explore Mending and Masculinity Through Historical Artifacts and Contemporary Works

The article examines how aesthetics of mending intersect with constructions of masculinity, using Admiral Horatio Nelson's preserved naval coat as a central artifact. Nelson's coat, displayed at London's National Maritime Museum, features a bullet hole from his fatal wounding at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805, along with adaptations for an earlier arm injury. This relic has undergone extensive conservation to maintain damage that symbolizes masculine sacrifice. The piece contrasts this with contemporary artworks: J. John Priola's 1995 photograph "Dish Towel" from his "Saved" series depicts a patched textile questioning gendered repair, while Mark Newport's 2016 embroidery "Mend 4" explores suturing as relational practice. Newport's work emerged from caring for his son's clothes, recognizing parallels between mending fabric and bodily scars. The analysis connects these to broader cultural narratives where masculinity is forged through violence and wounding, with mending often feminized. It references historical gossip suggesting Nelson's vanity contributed to his death, though the coat's hole contradicts embellishment placement. The article positions these artistic examinations within discussions of toxic masculinity and gender binaries, using material objects to critique social fabrics organized around irreparable damage.