Nellie Gossen (they/them) is an artist, educator and death doula who lives and works between the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and Berlin.
Weaving together diverse backgrounds in Fashion Design, Religious Studies and End-of Life Spiritual Care, Nellie uses clothing as a tool to think and feel through social systems. Drawing on technical training in clothing construction, they ask: what are the skills of the tailor, the seamstress, and the costume designer, and what can they do? Working through the media of fashion, costume, textiles, and performance, Nellie’s practice looks to repurpose the means of the mainstream fashion industry – from design, to production, labor optimization, and consumption – and rework them into spaces of radical agency, intimacy and generosity.
Since 2021, Nellie has trained and practiced widely within the field of end-of-life care. In this context, they facilitate one-on-one processes with individuals with life-limiting diagnoses where the co-creation of custom garments becomes a medium for intimacy, connection, embodiment and contemplative care. Nellie’s current work and research focuses on interdisciplinary pathways of knowing and holding the body at the end of life, with a particular interest in cross cultural histories and practices of burial garments.
Nellie holds degrees in Fashion Design (Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee & Universität der Künste Berlin) and Religious Studies (University of British Columbia) and is professionally trained as a Death Doula. Their work has been presented by The Dance Centre (Vancouver), the PuSh Festival (Vancouver), Unit/Pitt (Vancouver) the Icelandic Textile Centre (Blonduos) and Kunsthalle am Hamburgerplatz (Berlin). As an occasional costume designer for dance and performance, Nellie’s clothing has toured all over the world.
Weaving together diverse backgrounds in Fashion Design, Religious Studies and End-of Life Spiritual Care, Nellie uses clothing as a tool to think and feel through social systems. Drawing on technical training in clothing construction, they ask: what are the skills of the tailor, the seamstress, and the costume designer, and what can they do? Working through the media of fashion, costume, textiles, and performance, Nellie’s practice looks to repurpose the means of the mainstream fashion industry – from design, to production, labor optimization, and consumption – and rework them into spaces of radical agency, intimacy and generosity.
Since 2021, Nellie has trained and practiced widely within the field of end-of-life care. In this context, they facilitate one-on-one processes with individuals with life-limiting diagnoses where the co-creation of custom garments becomes a medium for intimacy, connection, embodiment and contemplative care. Nellie’s current work and research focuses on interdisciplinary pathways of knowing and holding the body at the end of life, with a particular interest in cross cultural histories and practices of burial garments.
Nellie holds degrees in Fashion Design (Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee & Universität der Künste Berlin) and Religious Studies (University of British Columbia) and is professionally trained as a Death Doula. Their work has been presented by The Dance Centre (Vancouver), the PuSh Festival (Vancouver), Unit/Pitt (Vancouver) the Icelandic Textile Centre (Blonduos) and Kunsthalle am Hamburgerplatz (Berlin). As an occasional costume designer for dance and performance, Nellie’s clothing has toured all over the world.
