February exhibition showcases three dynamic textile artists

    

(Top image: Ben Venom in Kimball Gallery, photo by Randy Dodson)

 

Two of our artists this month take a look at popular culture. Quilter Ben Venom takes inspiration from music, tattoos and the occult, while Norwegian tapestry artist Kristin Saeterdal cites Science Fiction and computer games as part of her visual references. Using these as the foundation for their work brings textiles bang up-to-date and the vibrancy of their art leaves no question that the medium of textiles can have far more impact that just paint and a canvas.

 

Speaking of canvases, Philadelphia-based Matthew Cox uses the unlikely material of x-rays as his starting point. Proving that less is more, his careful stitching highlights the fast pace of technology and photography against the slow hand-made. We’ll be taking a further look at his new range of work ‘Fragmented Hosts,’ in an upcoming blog.