The Hidden Impact of Stains
Madison Ostrowski
2025
Fabric, embroidery, acrylic paint, paint marker, glue, lip gloss, and other stains
Madison Ostrowski is an animator and textile artist interested in the relationship between artistic practice and its potential effects on the environment. In a time when environmental consciousness is becoming more prevalent, it is important to be mindful about how our actions may harm the world around us. Madison aims to explore this dichotomy and translate it into art that engages the viewer to reconsider how they themselves interact with our world.
The Hidden Impact of Stains focuses on carcinogenic solvents used in dry cleaning, many of which still persist today. One of the most common, Perchloroethylene (PERC), can leak into groundwater and air, posing serious health and environmental risks. While safer methods like wet cleaning—which uses biodegradable detergents and produces no hazardous emissions—are gaining ground, they are still far from becoming industry standard.
For this piece, I used entirely recycled materials, purposefully staining fabric and stitching it together by hand. I embroidered the names of various dry cleaning solvents, including some that have been phased out and others developed to replace PERC. The work serves as a physical reminder of how these chemicals—often hidden from view—can make their way into our watershed.
Through this piece, I hope to encourage the viewer to think about their relationship to the clothes they wear and how everyday practices, like dry cleaning, may carry unseen environmental costs.
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