Caitie Curtis's portfolio

Work samples

DOMINATE

Yarn, Perler Beads, Metal Jump Rings. 2025. 56” x 28”.
Hawaii: The Aloha State; The Islands of Aloha; The 808 State; Paradise of the Pacific.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2025. 12” H x 24.5” W.
In Hawaii, there are legal definitions of Sexual Assault in the 1st-4th Degree, Sexual Assault of a Minor, Statutory Rape, and Sodomy. Consent is not defined.
Concatenation, 16mm, 2018

Divided into three acts, this work constructs and then deconstructs the impacts of male privilege and assault on the female body. “Act One” discusses how something as violating as touching a woman’s body without her permission is seen to be normal and accepting as touching an inanimate object. “Act Two” explores the physiological impact and emotional weight of the silence that survivors of sexual abuse carry. In “Act Three” there is emancipation in the space where the veil of secrecy is lifted and survivors can speak freely and safely.
$Refracted Gaze 1$

Refracted Gaze 1

Digital Photograph, 2016

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About Caitie

Baltimore City

Caitie Curtis is a Baltimore-based artist whose practice responds to pressing political issues surrounding trauma, sexual violence, and equity. As a victim-survivor of intimate partner violence and sexual assault, Curtis dissects the systems that perpetuate and normalize sexual violence. Her work explores the intersections of interpersonal relationships and institutional power structures, questioning how these dynamics shape lived experience.

As both an educator and artist,… more

View Caitie's Resume

USOR

USOR, or "United States of Rape," is a research-based series of hand-embroidered flags representing each state and its laws on rape and sexual assault. The laws are taken out of context, mixed up, and displayed over a pixelated version of the state flag. The words and phrases extracted from these laws, using RAINN as a resource, are significant to Curtis because they are either shocking, confusing, or notably different from other state laws. Currently, each state in the United States has varying laws regarding rape, sexual assault, and sexual violence. Some laws are comprehensive, while others consist of just three sentences. Some states define rape as only possible between a man and a woman, while others break their laws into multiple degrees and even define sexual consent. As a survivor of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, Curtis was shocked to discover that laws regarding sexual assault and rape can vary greatly from state to state. When victims of sexual violence seek justice through the legal system, they may be unaware of how their state defines these crimes.

For a viewer, this may be their first time reviewing this type of legislation, prompting them to consider the laws in their state, along with the regulations surrounding our bodies and the assaults that are perpetrated upon them. For some, this may be an opportunity to start a conversation about a topic that can be uncomfortable to discuss, as society often keeps these discussions hidden behind a veil of secrecy and shame.

This ongoing project serves as both a healing journey and an act of advocacy for Curtis, who aims to create flags representing legislation across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. USOR is deeply rooted in an artistic practice shaped by the political and social challenges Curtis has endured as a victim-survivor of sexual violence. At its core, the work offers a space for restoration—one that Curtis has found through creative expression and by exposing the incongruities and absurdities of the legislation she continues to research.

Connecticut; The Constitution State; The Nutmeg State; The Provisions State; The Land of Steady Habits.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2024. 15.5” x 22”.
In Connecticut, there are legal definitions of Sexual Assault in the 1st-4th Degree, Aggravated Sexual Assault in the 1st Degree, Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Minor, Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Minor, Statutory Rape, and Sodomy. Consent is defined through the lack thereof.
Alabama; The Cotton State; The Yellowhammer State; The Heart of Dixie.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2020. 15'“ x 21.5”
In Alabama, there are legal definitions of Rape in the 1st-2nd Degree, Sexual Torture, Sodomy in the 1st-2nd Degree, Sexual Abuse in the 1st-2nd Degree, Sexual Misconduct, Statutory Rape, and Sexual Abuse of a Child. Consent is not defined, but Alabama has interpreted Consent to mean “acquiescence or compliance [with the proposition of another].”
Arkansas; The Land of Opportunity; The Natural State.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2021. 15” x 23.5”.
In Arkansas, there are legal definitions of Rape, Sexual Assault in the 1st-4th Degree, Statutory Rape, Sexual Extortion, Sexual Indecency with a Child, and Sodomy. Consent is defined through the lack thereof.
Arizona; The Grand Canyon State; The Copper State.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2022. 20.5” X 30.5”.
In Arizona, there are legal definitions of Rape, Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse, Unlawful Sexual Conduct; Adult Probation Department Employees; Juvenile Court Employees, Unlawful sexual conduct; peace officers, Unlawful sexual conduct; correctional facilities, Molestation of a Child, Statutory Rape, and Sodomy. Consent is not defined, but Arizona does define "Without Consent".
California; The Golden State.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2023.
In California, there are legal definitions for Rape, Sodomy, Forcible Acts of Sexual Penetration, Oral Copulation, Sexual Battery, Unlawful Sexual Acts Procured By Fraud or False Pretenses, Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, Sexual Acts with a Child 10 Years of age or Younger, and Unlawful Sexual Intercourse With a Person Under 18. California does define Consent.
Colorado; The Centennial State.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2023. 20.75” x 14.5”.
In Colorado, there are legal definitions for Sexual Assault, Unlawful Sexual Contact, Sexual Assault on a Child, Statutory Rape, and Sodomy. Colorado does define Consent.
Delaware; The Blue Hen State, The Diamond State, The First State, The Small Wonder State.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2023. 17.5” x 12”.
In Delaware, there are legal definitions of Sexual Assault in the 1st-4th Degree, Unlawful Sexual Contact in the 1st-3rd Degree, Statutory Rape, and Sodomy. Consent is not defined, but Delaware defines "Without Consent".
Maryland; Free State; Old Line State.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2020. 17.5” x 19.5”.
In Maryland, there are legal definitions of Rape in the 1st-2nd Degree, Sexual Offense in the 3rd-4th Degree, Sexual Conduct Between Correctional or Juvenile Justice Employee or Court-Provided Services Provider and Incarcerated Individual or Confined Child, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, Continuing Course of Conduct Against Child, and Sodomy. Maryland does define Consent.
Hawaii: The Aloha State; The Islands of Aloha; The 808 State; Paradise of the Pacific.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2025. 12” H x 24.5” W.
In Hawaii, there are legal definitions of Sexual Assault in the 1st-4th Degree, Sexual Assault of a Minor, Statutory Rape, and Sodomy. Consent is not defined.
Idaho: The Gem State; The Potato State.

Hand embroidery, felt, poetry. 2025. 16.5” H x 23.5” W.
In Idaho, there are legal definitions for Rape, Rape of Spouse, Sexual Contact with a Prisoner, Statutory Rape, Sexual Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult, Sexual Abuse of a Child, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Sexual Battery of a Minor Child, and Sodomy. Consent is not defined.

Quilts

In progress series: I have started a new series of quilts that speak on the dynamics of interpersonal relationships in contrast to our relationships with institutions in our society like the government.

CONTROL.

Yarn, Perler Beads, Metal Jump Rings. 2024. 29” x 25”.
DOMINATE

Yarn, Perler Beads, Metal Jump Rings. 2025. 56” x 28”.

My Female Identity

During my time as a student, both as an undergraduate and a graduate student, I dedicated myself to producing video and performance art that delves into the complexities of my identity as a woman. My work aims to shed light on the pervasive issues of sexism, stereotypes, biases, patriarchy, and violence against women. Through these artistic creations, I strive to encapsulate my journey and contemplations on the experiences of being a woman and navigating the world as a female.

Concatenation, 16mm, 2018

Divided into three acts, this work constructs and then deconstructs the impacts of male privilege and assault on the female body. “Act One” discusses how something as violating as touching a woman’s body without her permission is seen to be normal and accepting as touching an inanimate object. “Act two” explores the physiological impact and emotional weight of the silence that is carried by survivors of sexual abuse. And in “Act Three” there is emancipation in the space where the veil of secrecy is lifted and survivors can speak freely and safely.
Job and His Daughters, 16mm, 2018

Job’s Daughters is an organization that recruits young girls to participate in religious rituals and community service. The International Order of the Freemasons is a parent organization of Job’s Daughters. When I was around 14 years old I was inducted into this secret society under the conditions that I was somehow related to a Freemason and that under no condition would I share the rituals we would perform. We were required to wear white robes to display our purity and also to wrap our bodies with a rope that outlined our breasts and reproductive organs. Years later, looking back at the time I spent in this environment and seeing the practice of performing rituals every week, the book we followed, and the history of the Freemasons, I wanted to display how strange and haunting this cult was for me and is still today.
Forced to Watch, 2017

This video is a compilation of original and found footage demonstrating how the original films that have influenced our perceptions of women remain relevant today. In 1973, Laura Mulvey published the essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," discussing the concept of the male gaze in films, such as those created by Hitchcock, where the spectator is placed in a masculine subject position, with the woman on screen as the object of desire. This video visually connects these older films with the ongoing spectacle of the objectification of women's bodies in today's society.
So Splash On In, Digital Video, 2017

****TRIGGER WARNING**** This video may trigger memories of assault or abuse.

So Splash On In is my response to a law in North Carolina that states that “no” does not always mean “no” when it comes to sexual consent. As a victim/survivor of sexual abuse and assault with North Carolina as a second home, this law struck me as horrific and appalling. In this video, I visually express my feelings about how I see the stories of assault victims getting washed away, both literally by the judicial system and metaphorically on the beaches of North Carolina. The audio is unsettling because this law is unsettling, and I wanted to create an example that audibly expresses an event that happens every 98 seconds in America, according to RAINN. The final clip of the video is a jarring transition to an ironic ad to visit North Carolina.
I am a Woman, Digital Video, 2016

In this video, I offer a response to how society imposes stereotypes on femmes of all ages using language. By portraying a negative viewpoint, I aim to emphasize the harmful effects of these preconceived notions on the perception of femme individuals.
Gender Specifics, Digital Video, 2016

With this piece, I challenge the societal norms that impose gender stereotypes on children by associating specific roles with toys and objects. In this performance video, I use destruction, violence, and anger, I express my opposition to these stereotypes. Using color, I aim to demonstrate how these toys and objects were designed thoughtfully to be assigned to one specific gender.

How Does Your State Define Sexual Consent? — Understanding Sexual Consent Laws in the U.S.

Published on October 23rd, 2023 in Womanly Magazine issue no. 7: s-e-x, Curtis' "How Does Your State Define Sexual Consent? — Understanding Sexual Consent Laws in the U.S." explores how states define sexual assault and sexual consent. The article also delves into the rights that victims have in defining their assault and seeking justice.

How Does Your State Define Sexual Consent? — Understanding Sexual Consent Laws in the U.S.

Refracted Gaze

Selected photographs from the series of photographs titled "Refracted Gaze"

$Refracted Gaze 1$

Refracted Gaze 1

Digital Photograph, 2016
$Refracted Gaze 4$

Refracted Gaze 4

Digital Film Still Photograph, 2017
$Refracted Gaze 5$

Refracted Gaze 5

Digital Film Still Photograph, 2017
$Refracted Gaze 3$

Refracted Gaze 3

Digital Photograph, 2016
$Refracted Gaze 2$

Refracted Gaze 2

Digital Photograph, 2016

Objects

"Objects" is a series of photographs created to represent the ways American culture talks about vaginas and how they are portrayed in society. These photographs are an investigation of language and its impact, especially when it comes to our bodies. Language can be used to dehumanize individuals with female sexual organs by giving body parts names that detach them from the person. However, using anatomical terms has been shown to protect individuals from sexual abuse, promote healthy body image, boost self-confidence, and encourage openness on these topics. These photographs depict the alternative names that American culture has promoted and used instead of the anatomical term "vagina” while taking the upper half of the individual away to reiterate the idea of the body as an object.