ArtClothText » MUSEUMS + ARTS VENUES

Battleground: War Rugs from Afghanistan

artclothtext — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:17:33 +0000

Battleground: War Rugs from Afghanistan, curated by Max Allen is currently at the Confederation Centre for the Arts in Prince Edward Island until January 24, 2010. The exhibition is being circulated by the Textile Museum of Canada.

Find more information and read the curatorial essay HERE.

Bernie Lubell at FACT

artclothtext — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:34:24 +0000

'A theory of entanglement' or the giant knitting machine!

I recently had the pleasure of meeting artist Bernie Lubell at Fact (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) in Liverpool. Prior to my visit to Fact I had no knowledge at all of Bernie Lubell’s work. He seemed delighted to learn, however, that it was the title of his show ‘A theory of entanglement’ that had attracted me. The artist is very keen on meaningful titles, words. phrases. His titles are chosen with great care and deliberation. He is a fascinating guy. One who loves being with his work and chatting with visitors.

'Aphasiogram'

How to describe Bernie’s work? Large constructions of soft, sustainable woods built to the width or in sections in his garage in San Francisco. Decidedly low tech constructions operated by levers, pulleys and interactive. Interactive is the operative word here as they simply will not work without human intervention! For example one of my favourite pieces was ‘Aphasiogram’ (1999) which reflects the artist’s interest in language. Also “Cheek to cheek’ (1999) which works by your bodily movements on the stool. Sinister looking, I agree, but great fun!

'Cheek to cheek'

And a great venue for his work. Fact puts on an impressive array of related workshops and talks. ‘Flying flappers’ was Bernie Lubell’s offering. Build your flying flapper (bird) from re-cycled materials. I just wish I had taken part.

submitted by Lesley Bricknell

El Anatsui at Glenbow Museum Friday

artclothtext — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:46:26 +0000

The Canadian Art Foundation presents Art Talks: Canadian Art International Speaker Series in collaboration with venues across the country. Glenbow Museum is pleased to host famed Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui who will present a slide lecture outlining his storied career. El Anatsui’s amazing metal-cloth series and important sculptures in wood, ceramic and mixed media will be part of his first-ever career retrospective, which will have its world premiere next fall at the Royal Ontario Museum Institute for Contemporary Culture. The exhibition will then travel to New York for the landmark reopening of the Museum for African Art.

The talk is at 7:00 pm, October 2 in the ConocoPhillips Theatre at the Glenbow Museum. Admission is free!

Read about El Anatsui HERE

The Museum of Touch

artclothtext — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Lesley Bricknell, `Preservation` series (work in progress)

partially constructed textile, lace imprints (photo image)

Every now and again an essay comes along that is totally inspirational and for me it is ‘From the Museum of Touch’ by Susan Stewart in Material Memories: Design and Evocation (Marius Kwint, et al eds, Oxford, Berg, 1999). Basically her concern is with the paradox of ‘touch’ in terms of makers and the ‘denial of touch’ in terms of their display and preservation. She refers to museum collections as ‘repositaries of touch and care’ in itself a lyrical description. She also looks specifically at artist Anne Wilson. She is very much a ‘tactile’ artist. She uses human hair extensively in her work, minutely stitched and, in some pieces, placed under glass. An indication of her interest in archiving and presentation and subsequent installation and video pieces. Desire to touch, caress not permitted.

At the time of reading ‘From the Museum of Touch’ I was hooked on an image of a dress (white of course) worn by Emily Dickinson. I couldn’t really work out my fascination until it dawned on me that it was the idea of ‘preservation’ that really interested me. And I can now see I’m into the touch ‘denial’ thing too! My background is in Textiles. Invariably, however, I make photo or scanned imagery that has evolved from tactile origins. The need or desire to physically handle material, stuff, etc. is important for me despite the fact that little survives as evidence. Touch, apparently, is one that is ultimately linked to emotion and feeling. The activity of producing a digital image can be clinical, distant, mechanical. At least in my experience. I value the physicality of this particular way of making work. And recent reading has in turn moved things on a little.

Submitted by Lesley Bricknell

Inspiration Sources

artclothtext — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:35:00 +0000

As an artist I find inspiration in all sorts of mundane places. Hardware shops, charity shops, thrift stores. An enormous influence on my work, however, is the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, Cornwall. It is the world’s largest collection of witchcraft and fortunately for me is only a hour and a half’s journey away by car. (Public transport is another matter.) I make a point of visiting the collection each year. My response to the artefacts is entirely aesthetic. The combinations of wax, pins, pieces of clothing, hair and knots used in charms, spells and curses (ill wishing) has permeated my visual work for a number of years. I am attracted to the display of unmentionable things contained in glass containers. And of the burnt and partially destroyed photographs and poppets (dolls.) Also the arrangement and classification of these seemingly innocuous objects with often malevolent intent.

There are knitting spells which have to be made with blunt, glass needles. The spell was repeated stitch by stitch (sounds ominous). When the spell was completed the knitting was removed and then burnt. Replica glass knitting needles are on sale at the Museum but as I have never been able to knit, despite my mother’s best efforts, I do not need them. Knot spells with black knotted ribbon intended to cause worry and anxiety are left strewn around the intended victim’s house. Other knots are used to secure amulets of skin and fabric in combination with tied feathers, etc.

“Red Shoes” (object), Lesley Bricknell

One of my favourite exhibits is a red shoe stuffed with wax together with a small dead bird. Apparently it is to do with jealousy and was found in my home town of Plymouth, Devon. I made my own red shoe(s) but they refer to the fairy tale and are nothing to do with curses. In 2004 there was a flood which engulfed the town and the Museum of Witchcraft. The silt and debris which was washed into the Museum protected a great number of the exhibits as they sank down on to the floor. If you check online you can see some pieces have been lost but most have been rescued and survive.

text and images submitted by Lesley Bricknell

Moral Fibres at The Nickle Arts Museum

artclothtext — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 03:34:00 +0000

image: Dominique Blain, Japan Apologizes, 1993, silk, cotton, ink

MORAL FIBRES: Textiles from The Nickle Collections
Until September 27, 2008 at The Nickle Arts Museum
Curated by Michele Hardy

Cloth is uniquely associated with life and the expression of intimate and shared values. Drawing on works from the Nickle’s collections, Moral Fibres explores the symbolic and tactile potential of cloth to express goodness, appropriateness, or morality. The exhibition features ethnographic works as well as works by the artists: Dominique Blain, Suzanne Franks, Bill Morten, and Alan Dunning

Tapestries Curator Chosen as New MET Director

artclothtext — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:23:00 +0000

Visitors at “Tapestry in the Baroque: Threads of Splendor” an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum that Thomas P. Campbell curated in 2007

“Ending months of fervid speculation, the Metropolitan Museum of Art reached into its own ranks on Tuesday and chose Thomas P. Campbell, a 46-year-old English-born tapestries curator, to succeed Philippe de Montebello as director and chief executive.”

Read the full article HERE

submitted by Oriane Stender, Brooklyn, NY

Digital Threads nominated for a Webby

artclothtext — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:40:00 +0000

http://www.digitalthreads.ca/ has been nominated for a ‘Webby’ in the category of “Net Art” meaning a contemporary art experience that only exists online. Digital Threads is an interactive Web environment that highlights new digital artworks by Canadian artists Jennifer Angus, Joanna Berzowska, Kai Chan, Ruth Scheuing and Samuel Thomas. Internationally known for innovative work that challenges the boundaries of conventional textile arts, these five artists define new territory on the World Wide Web with dynamic projects that link to 50 exhibitions from the Textile Museum of Canada.

What’s a “Webby”? Well, the Webbys have been around since 1996 and the “Webby” is the most prestigious award given to online and new media projects in the world. Think of it like the Academy Awards of making Web sites. There are a number of categories across a number of commercial industries and formats. The contest attracts more than 8,000 entries annually from 60+ countries. The field is dominated by large and well-resourced organizations (NY Times, BBC, Facebook, eBay, MoMA, etc.).The nominees in each category are determined by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, “a 550-member body of leading Web experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries and creative celebrities.”

Digital Threads has been short-listed as one of the five best of its kind in the world. The sole winner in each category is chosen by the people, who vote online. Currently it sits at 2nd in the category. So I encourage you to visit the site and if you like it, vote for this textile look to ‘Netart’ at http://pv.webbyawards.com/ Winners will be announced May 6 and honored at two ceremonies in New York City: The Webby Film & Video Awards on June 9, and The Webby Awards Gala on June 10.

submitted by Ruth Scheuing

Central Asian Textiles at the Nickle Arts Museum

artclothtext — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:47:00 +0000

December 7, 2007 – April 26, 2008, Curated by Michele Hardy
Illustration: Turkmen Tent Band (detail), mid 19th century

Central Asia is home to a number of tribal groups with rich and varied textile traditions. Many of these speak to tribal identity, nomadic lifestyle, or recent negotiations with urban life. From silk weaving, to wrapped reeds, fine embroidery and knotted pile weaving, the textiles of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are as technically sophisticated, as they are aesthetically compelling. The Nickle Arts Museum, home to the Jean and Marie Erikson Rug and Textile Collection, has a small but significant collection of Central Asian textiles. This exhibition showcases a number of new acquisitions from this area and suggests avenues for future research and development.

Curator of Decorative Arts, Michelle Hardy will give a tour of the exhibition Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 12 noon. Other events related to the exhibition will be posted in March and April…

Robyn Love’s soft memorials

artclothtext — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 04:44:00 +0000

I first came across the work of artist Robyn Love in the publication By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art while developing a studio knitting course. The artist’s extravigant application of hand knitting on grave markers and memorials is a compelling action that explores the cultural disconnect between the decorum of public grief and the despair of personal loss. The memorial or grave marker is a public, decorus expression of the personal grief of families and communities. Obscuring these monuments with something as homely or as intimate as hand-knitting seems almost too personal, a moment of compassionate disruption that conflates the public space of memorials with the personal space(s) of individual grief. Love writes eloquently about this project HERE… It’s Cold Outside: Cozy for Richard Noseworthy, Died 1965, Pouch Cove, Newfoundland Memorials/The Doughboy (knitted wool, 90 x 100 inches)

Robyn’s current projects include a series of antimacasars,
Do Nothing (from the Antimacassar Sutra Series), Filet crochet, 4″ x 23″

a blog, documenting her “Knitting Sprawl” project and The House Museum located in the town of Gillams on the north shore of the Bay of Islands on west coast of Newfoundland. Equal parts site-specific installation, local curiosity, and curatorial experiment, The House Museum is unlike any museum you’ve visited.

In the coming weeks, I will be posting an email interview with the artist. In the meantime, if you would like to view more images of this work, visit the artist’s website at http://www.robynlove.com/