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Two new exhibitions opening June 17, 2008 at the Museum of Quilts & Textiles challenge our assumptions about sculpture, knitting, appliqué and embroidery with pieces ranging from provocative to whimsical.
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Genetic Inheritance (Detail) by Lindsay Obermeyer, 2006
photo credit: Larry Sanders
Pillow by Blanka Sperkova
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June 17 – August 24, 2008
Beyond Knitting is an awakening to the brave new world of sculptural knitting. With pieces that are both visually stunning and intellectually provocative, the exhibition highlights the tremendous variety of approaches and subject matter that contemporary textile artists here and abroad are tackling using knitting as the primary technique.
“Knitting shapes have long been defined by the human form,” said exhibit guest co-curator Adrienne Sloane. “Knitting has moved from clothing geometry to sculpture, joining other textile art media in taking advantage of the form’s rich and powerful historical references. The knit art in this exhibit links us emotionally to the past while presenting an important visual commentary on the present.”
Added Museum curator Deborah Corsini, “Beyond Knitting uncovers the most current and exciting art being created today by a new generation of knitters who are moving away from any traditional focus of knitting to arenas of wall art, sculpture and installation. Each of the artists selected for this exhibition transforms the simple notion of needles and yarn with new techniques and fibers to create work that is haunting, humorous, political and personal.”
The exhibition includes ethereal wire sculptures by Czech artist Blanka Sperkova, who developed her own technique of finger-knitting fine wire with a basic looping stitch to create human and animal representations as well as abstract forms. The result is an interplay of the sculpted forms and the transparency of the knitted wire in multi-layered, textured pieces that play with light and shadow.
Lindsay Obermeyer’s surprising work deals with issues of genetic inheritance, aging, and motherhood. Her knitted sweaters with their unusual appendages manifest the hidden nature of her own inner worrisome thoughts and issues. “On the surface her pieces are bright, humorous and attractive, but there is a darker, deeper content to this work that reflects questions and concerns we all face,” said Corsini.
The artists included in the exhibition are:
Katharine Cobey
Donna Lish
Janet Morton
Kerry Mosley
Mark Newport
Lindsay Obermeyer
Karen Paust
Karen Searle
Adrienne Sloane
Blanka Sperkova
This exhibition is co-presented by The Knitting Guild Association an organization whose mission is to provide education and communication to advance the quality of workmanship and creativity in knitting, and encourage interest in the art of knitting.
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Call Me Doctor (Detail) by Dorothy Vance, 2004
Odd Couples (Detail) by Dorothy Vance, 2006
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June 17 – August 24, 2008
Pun Intended: The Appliquéd Wit of Dorothy Vance, features 14 humorous quilts juxtaposing folk art, politics and pop culture. Dorothy Vance is known for her unique, clever and humanly charming folk art quilts, and this exhibition showcases this original work and the vision of an imaginative and irrepressible artistic personality.
Throughout her life, Vance engaged in various sorts of arts and crafts including pottery, tile making, bread making, writing, and graphic design. In 1977, Vance began to stitch, and continued to create new works until her death in February 2007 at the age of 77. She combined her writing and sewing skills to embed clever irony and wit into such quilts as the award-winning Presidents; the limerick-filled quilt There Was An Old Man; and Odd Couples, a humorous pairing of icons from history and popular culture who share the same last name, such as Nat and Lana Turner, Karl and Harpo Marx, and James and Marilyn Monroe.
Bob Shaw, a curator and appraiser, wrote of her work, “Vance used her stitched and appliquéd art to express her political views and wide ranging interests in wryly humorous and complexly allusive ways. Most of her quilts feature cartoon-like caricatures of historical and contemporary figures, and many incorporate her own humorous verse, which compares favorably with the work of Ogden Nash.”
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Sleeping in a Sandstorm (Detail) by Sha Sha Higby, 2002
Photo by Albert Holander and detail from Indonesian Batik
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June 17 – August 24, 2008
Sha Sha Higby approaches dance through the medium of sculpture. She creates intricate costumes of materials such as wood, silk, paper and gold leaf and animates them with subtlety and grace in performances of her own contemplative form of dance.
In Javanese Moonlight features three of the monumental, sculptural forms that Sha Sha Higby wears in performance. This exhibit situates Higby’s artwork within the context of Indonesian batik traditions. Like batik artists, whose work is deliberate and slow—not infrequently taking months or even years to produce one stunning length of cloth—Higby mines the spiritual meaning in the physical discipline required to devote up to two years developing a complex sculptural form. As stationary art objects and moving sculpture in Higby’s performances, these forms are an invitation to a meditative space, where time slows down and we find ourselves quietly contemplating life’s mysteries.
Higby’s contemporary mixed-media fiber sculptures are juxtaposed with rare royal Indonesian batiks from the private collection of Noeleke Glenn Klavert. In this way visitors are provided an introduction to the many cultures whose symbols have shaped the iconic designs found in Indonesian batiks and whose artistic and spiritual practices transformed Sha Sha Higby’s approach to modern dance. In Javanese Moonlight will showcase batiks whose design influences can be traced to India, China, and Holland.
Don’t miss In a Cloud of Glass, Sha Sha Higby’s new performance to be held next door to the Museum on July 27 at 6pm. More
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