February 15, 2023
"Frayed Stories of Life" Unique & Beautiful Closes Feb. 18
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CLICK HERE TO GO TO GALLERY ANNOUNCEMENT.
I urge you to go see this exhibit which closes on Saturday.
Below is the statement of Rachel Leibman, curator of "Frayed Stories of Life," textile work by twelve artists, all women:
"This exhibit features artists who view textile art as a through line that connects past, present, and future. These artists pay homage to the fiber art of our forebears but do not attempt to replicate it. Their artwork is made for and of our times, employing surprising materials such as moth cocoons, electric cables, watch parts, plastic bags and video tape. They use these objects to shape, and even mend, the frayed stories of life." |
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I walked through the unassuming door of Arc Gallery on 1246 Folsom Street to enter a wonderland of quirky, offbeat, and surprising beauty, in this exhibit of textile art.
The Gallery is open with social-distancing 1-6PM on Wednesdays & Thursdays and 12-3PM on Saturdays. Arc Gallery encourages but does not require visitors to wear face masks. |
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Below are just a few of the amazing artworks. I tell you, this exhiibit was so much fun! I'm sure you're wondering what a resourceful artist can do with moth cocoons:
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| These strange forms are by Dale Eastman. The being on the left is titled It's Never the Whole Story. The piece on the right is A Conference of Moths.
Eastman used: ceranchia apollina silk moth cocoons, electronic capacitors and radial varistors. chicken wire and linen covered wire.
What the hell are radial varistors? Where does one find so many discarded moth cocoons? There are so many mysteries about this work, and the work itself has a powerful mysterious quality. It evokes zombies, birds nests. It's kinda creepy and I love it.
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I photographed this from an angle to try to catch the layers and textures. These nine pieces by Holly Wong are titled Psyche Series (Psyche 3-11) collaged paintings, drawings & fabric on wood panel. Wong just cut up a lot of her old work to make this new work. The net and other diaphanous fabrics give the Psyche Series an ethereal beauty. Below are all nine: |
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Linda Tapscott's Vessels of Life, below, are made of painted canvas, reed, and hemp twine, among other things. I didn't get the complete list of materials. |
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On the right is a close-up of two of the vessels, photographed for the catalog. By the way, you can buy the catalog of Frayed Lives. I'm seriously considering it. To buy the catalog, click here.
I think of these objects as spirit boats. I would love to have one to use in rituals. After all, the artist named them vessels, which means they are calling to be used. If I had one, I would put in something that I wished to journey away, something I had trouble letting go of -- like a torn-up paper representing a relationship with someone gone from my life, someone I couldn't stop thinking about. I'm thinking about a close friend who I have broken with permanently. It's good to have a few ritual objects around. Hmmmm... |
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Below is the work by Michelle Echenique called Unmuzzled. It is made entirely of the wires that hold the corks on champagne bottles, which are called muselets. |
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This is just the coolest thing -- a magical waterfall made from those thingies on champagne bottles that I didn't even know had a name! Muselet! So French, so romantic-sounding. "Ah, my little Muselet, I will love you forever!" Much more seductive than "Ah, my little wire thingie that holds the cork on the champagne bottle..." Muselet. I love that word. I'm going out to the liquor store when I finish this blog and get me a Muselet!
Echenique spent ten years collecting muselets for this sculpture. The title, iUnmuzzled, conjures up something being released. I imagine Rapunzel leetting down her gorgeous waterfall of hair. But hair lacks the quality of these hundreds of muselets, which can be seen through and remind one of fish hooks and eyeglass frames and ... what else? Unmuzzled -- the title, the material, the object itself -- they are all very evocative. What does Unmuzzled evoke for you, Bloggellinis?
Below is a series by Rinat Goren, My Cup of Tea, made from -- you guessed it -- used tea bags! Hey, some artists drink champagne and others drink tea. |
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I am a major tea drinker, and I was astonished at all the subtly different tones she got from all those teabags. This and Unmuzzled take recycling to the transcendent level of art. I found My Cup of Tea hilarious and delightful.
Last but not least, one of Rachel Leibman's contributions. made of antique safety pins, wire, and rivets, Swaddled. |
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Even before I saw the title, I immediately thought Baby Blanket! And the wonderful irony of composing a blanket out of the very object that holds the diapers on -- safety pins! And then there's the downright adorability of antique safety pins. What an amazingly simple object a safety pin is. And yet, not so simple after all. The safety pin needed to be invented.
According to Google: - "Walter Hunt invented the safety pin substantially as we know it today in 1849. His improved pin design included a clasp that covered the point and kept it from opening, and a circular twist at the bend to act as a spring and hold it in place."
Hunt has a place in the National Inventors Hall of Fame -- as well he should, and I know that Leibman would agree with me.
Below is a close-up of Swaddled, in all its gorgeously colored glory. The wires give this work a rich quality, as if it were made with precious metals. |
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I've given you a taste of Frayed Stories of Life. There are so many more artists. And I only showed a sampling of the work that these six artists had in this show. Such a fountain of creativity, resourcefulness, humor and beauty. Please go see this show before it closes. It's open until 6pm today, Wednesday and on Thursday and Saturday, 12-3pm.
Dear Bloggellinis: What fun to see the exhibit and what fun to write about it. I only wish I hadn't procrastinated QUITE so long to do the blog. Oh well. Your Blogmistress has many fine qualities. But doing things in a timely fashion is not one of them. But Carolyn says I've become more endearing as I've gotten less organized. So there! IF YOU ARE LOCAL, GO SEE THIS SHOW! Terry |
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