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May 29, 2023 In Textile Art

Queer Threads exhibition is back

        Those of you who have been following Textile Curator for a while may remember a blog a few years ago about Queer Threads, crafting identity and community by John Chaich. Well good news, the exhibition is back. This evolving project is “an intergenerational, intersectional mix of contemporary LGBTIQIA+ artists who are pushing the boundaries of fiber and textile traditions.” Featuring work by 37 artists that date from 1971 to this year, it is currently exhibiting over four galleries at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles in California. Covering many generes of textile art such as crochet, quilting and stitch the work explores themes such as history and futurity, physicality and spirituality, vulnerability and sercurity and more. All while ‘position[ing] queerness within the history of domestic crafts and fiber arts.’  These are some of my favourite pieces.  Richard-Jonathan Nelson Foolish to believe this is their future when we've only just arrived, 2020. Digital collage on cotton, applique, embroidery, piecework. 95 x 102 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Jovencio de la Paz Bent Pyramid (1.1), 2022. Handwoven, Jacquard textile and cotton. 62 x 62 x 1.5 inches.  Courtesy of the Artist and Chris Sharp Gallery, Los Angeles. Ricki Dwyer, First Impressions, 2020. Cotton, dye, steel, aluminum, ball chain, plinth. 48 x 42 x 18 inches. Courtesy of the artist  Diedrick Brackens summer somewhere (for Danez), 2020. Woven cotton and acrylic yarn.  100 x 105 inches.  © Diedrick Brackens. Private collection. Courtesy of Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. dani lopez Tryin’ to hold it together, 2022. Handwoven cotton, novelty yarn, and metallic tinsel foil fringe. 73 in x 50 inches. Courtesy of the artist Kang Seung Lee Untitled (The Future Perfect), 2021. Antique 24k gold thread embroidery on Sambe, fossil leaves, meteorites, copper, ceramic vessel (California clay mixed with soils from Tapgol Park, Namsan Park, Prospect Cottage), and dried flowers from Homie Garden.Installation 106.2 x72 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai, Seoul Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and Community is exhibiting at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles until August 20th 2023. https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org

May 1, 2023 In Uncategorized

Magdalena Abakanowicz Exhibition

    

 

A few weeks ago I finally made to the epic exhibition of Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz. One of Poland’s most successful artists, Magdalena transformed weaving from two dimensions into sculptures and was a pioneer for art installations. This is the first major exhibition of her work in the UK since 1975. Her Abakans are towering soft woven sculptures and you can walk around them and feel truly immersed in their environment.

As you would expect from Tate Modern, this is an incredibly thorough exhibition. You can watch interviews with Magdalena explaining her ethos, showing her weaving and the sculptures in situ over the decades. A timeline wall explains her artistic journey and gives you a full picture of the amount of her work and dedication. Personally it was really interesting to see how her work developed from more conventional 2 dimensional wall hanging tapestries to her Abakans. It’s also a reminder how colours come in and out of fashion. The rich autumnal colours are now back in vogue so despite their age seem new.

Everyone I know who had visited the exhibition loved it so I was full of high expectations. As we all know art is subjective and while I admire the skill, impact and lets be honest the sheer logistics of weaving pieces on this scale they didn’t make my heart sing. Other people viewing the exhibition seemed captivated but I felt oddly detached from the experience. But isn’t this the point of art? It is all about how you connect with a piece which makes it such a powerful medium. However you feel about Magdalena’s work this is definitely an exhibition to experience but hurry it finishes on May 21st.

 

Magdalena Abakanowicz Every Tangle of Rope and Thread is on until 21st of May at Tate Modern

https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/magdalena-abakanowicz

 

April 24, 2023 In Art, Design

Beyond the Streets exhibition

         

 

 

 

 

 

Sources of inspiration are different for everyone and I’m taking a rare break from the world of textile art to share details of a Street Art and Graffiti exhibition. If you’re looking for inspiration for your practice or just want to surround yourself a brilliant dose of creativity I thoroughly recommend visiting BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON at the Saatchi Gallery. 

Featuring over 100 artists from cities around the globe, it is immaculately exhibited over three floors – an impressive 70,000 square feet! Names of artists you instantly recognise (such as Keith Haring) to unknown gems show their skills and originality through paintings, photographs and installations. 

Besides the art work itself, the curation by graffiti historian Roger Gastman is exceptional. A wall of images of hundreds of subway trains, a room where QR codes cover the floor and walls and a pop up record store where you can step back in time and pay an old favourite record all create memorable experiences. There are also some pieces such as a neon acrylic mural by Maya Hayuk that would make sensational quilts. 

By taking street art into a world renowned gallery it is arguably impossible not to make street art into a corporate and established genre. But put this thought to one side, immerse yourself in a world of colour, graphics and history and you’ll have a great time. 

BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON runs until 9th May 2023 at Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, London, SW3 4RY.

 

www.saatchigallery.com

 

February 20, 2023 In Textile Art

New solo exhibition by Eri Imamura

                

Images clockwise from top left: Living in a Bubble;  Numb; Breathe; details from Living in a Bubble

 

In 2020 I interviewed Japanese textile artist Eri Imamura who creates human sculptures by meticulously beading antique kimonos. Eri currently has a solo exhibition featuring 10 of her stunning artworks, including six new pieces.

 

Inside Manga Bubbles まんがバブルのうちがわ is Eri’s response to the Coronavirus lockdown.  “Relying on the Internet to erase our fears and connect virtually to eachother, [lockdown] isolation was a strangely futuristic experience impacting our minds. The virtual world took over the actual reality. Our existence has become “2.5 dimensional”: halfway between a 2D virtual reality and a 3D physical reality.”

 

Eri has created a 2.5D reality for her current exhibition. It is both immersive and reflective, with hundreds of round mirrors reflecting both the viewer and the beaded work. The viewer is also encouraged to take photographs, further blurring the boundaries between the real and the virtual. “This art project offers a counter-current experience to the viewer: an objective look at our condition and environment from the fictional world of manga bubbles to the physical reality.”

To find out more about Eri’s work read her interview here 

 

Inside Manga Bubbles is exhibiting at Warin Lab Contemporary in Bangkok, Thailand until March 18th For more information visit https://warinlab.com/exhibitions/inside-manga-bubbles/