LOVE LACE | Tsunami by Janet Echelman

How wonderful is it to see that the age-old technique of lace is being celebrated in today’s art world in the Love Lace exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. 134 artists from 20 countries unleash their passion for lace in this spectacular exhibition of winning entries and finalists in the Museum’s International Lace Award.

The exhibition ranges from bold large-scale installations and sculptures to intricate textiles and jewellery. Materials include gold and silver wire, linen and silk as well as mulberry paper, tapa cloth, horse hair, titanium and optical fibre.

One artist who demonstrates how a traditional technique can be transformed into contemporary art is the 24 metre wide lace work titled Tsunami by Janet Echelman (USA) that will be installed 13 metres above George Street at the Sydney Town Hall from  23 September to 23 October.

Tsunami was inspired and gets its name from the events that unfolded following the 2010 Chile earthquake. Echelman was motivated by the 1.26 micro second shortening of that day on February 27, which resulted from the earthquake’s redistribution of the Earth’s mass.

‘By meditating on these epiphenomena, the work underscores the interdependence of Earth systems and the global community.  It asks the viewer to pause and consider the larger fabric of which they are a part,” said Janet Echelman.


For more information and images on all the works in the exhibition visit the Love Lace website.

Feature Artist: Rachel Penn (UK)

Get ready for one of most in-depth feature artist post Red Thread has ever had. Rachel Penn contacted us after moving recently to Adelaide after graduating from the Chelsea School of Art Textile Design program and I couldn't wait to share her practice with the Adelaide community and our readers to gain an insight into her unique and striking pieces. Read on...

Tell us about yourself, how would you describe your work? I think I would best describe myself as an all rounder. Although I have predominantly focused on knit and crochet for the last few years I would still consider myself a mixed media textile designer, I love to get involved and experiment with all processes and materials, exploring the true potential of fabric design. I especially have a passion for niche, constructed and very detailed textiles that have a strong focus on concept, following them through into bespoke or editorial fashion, jewellery and interior pieces. I find it particularly uplifting seeing my design work through to end, from drawings and samples, to the finalised collection. 

Who or what inspires you as a textile designer? The inspiration behind my previous projects has always varied depending on the brief given. I like my design ideas to follow a strong narrative, taking inspiration either from the diverse patterns and constructive qualities of architecture to the organic forms and structures in nature. I particularly love to explore different cultures and the diverse aspects of life within them, looking at historical craft techniques and the art associated with individual countries. I also believe that drawing, painting and taking photos are extremely important parts of the design process when it comes to developing your ideas and gaining inspiration about a subject. 

What materials do you like to work with? My list of favourite materials to work with is always changing depending on the project at hand, however I have focused alot on knit and crochet the past couple of years. Having very little prior knowledge of the craft, with its heavily traditional connotations, I felt it gave me the opportunity to explore the potential within a constructive process, finding new ways to use yarn as a basis for mixed media, structural design. I love to experiment between the contrast in hard and soft materials, which I focused on in my final degree show project.

What did you most enjoy about the Textile Design program at Chelsea College of Art? I believe that the best thing about my Textile Design degree at Chelsea was the opportunity to meet like minded, creative individuals. I loved working in the studios amongst my peers, immersing myself in contemporary design 24/7. Also the fact that I was based in London was a huge bonus as it fed my enthusiasm for knowledge and inspiration, something that has brought me to Australia with a desire to see and experience more worldwide.

Is textiles highly regarded as a medium in contemporary visual arts culture? Textiles has the ability to connect us to our past through the tradition of the craft. It can create social identity, bring together communities and represent culture, and this is something that I as a designer try to represent in my textiles through hand crafted techniques used in a contemporary style. It is important to bring textiles into the present contemporary visual arts culture as it is way to connect to the individual using nostalgia.

What are your favourite 5 art related websites or blogs? Well I would say that my favourite website and blogs depend on what I am researching at the time. Previously when in London, I always used to look at the big museum websites such as the V&A, Tate and Somerset House, for inspirational artists and designers or for current exhibitions. I love looking through blogs as you never know what someone else has discovered such as an art piece, fashion designer or illustrator, that could inspire your own work. 

How do you think living in Australia, will influence your designs? As a designer I feel that is extremely important, especially if your given the opportunity, to stimulate your senses and to see as much as possible. After living in london for 4 years I was ready to experience something new, a different environment and culture to inspire me, and when my Family up and moved to Australia, it presented me with this opportunity to begin my discoveries. Im hoping that being here will enable me to explore another side of the world that I have not yet had the pleasure of seeing, immersing myself in the art, community and place.

Red Thread Collective looks forward to meeting Rachel at the next meeting on Wednesday 21 September, but for now check out her website and blog to see more of her amazing works. 

As Far as the Eye Can See

Question: What happens when 22 women who work as professional designers, artists and dancers to doctors, scientists and project managers put their crochet skills to good use? 

Answer: A gallery size, giant eye artwork including 500 hand crocheted squares using 182,784 stitches all in the name of raising funds for Gap Filler, a creative urban regeneration initiative that is taking art and community to Christchurch's vacant city spaces after the city's devastating earthquake in February. 

The work is currently on display at Rodeo, 162-168 Gilbert Street, Adelaide until 28 October before heading to Christchurch to be exhibition in November. For more information and images visit the website here.

The group seeks to continue making a contribution to the Christchurch community through ongoing projects to connect artists, community and provide story.

Looking for Contemporary Textile Artists...

Recently I have been noticing a large volume of viewers of the Red Thread blog are searching for Contemporary Textile Artists. It’s fantastic to see there are so many people interested into the modern interpretations of traditional textile crafts but where can you find sources of artists for a medium that could be seen as an aged sideline in the contemporary visual arts culture? Answer: Below I have featured three titles that I have come across, each listing an amazing array of contemporary textile artists for you all to check out…

By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art

In a response to the sleek forms and perfect angles of most late twentieth century design objects, many of today's artists and designers are returning to handmade work such as hand lettering, hand drawing, and hand sewing. From books to pillows to T-shirts to toys, the pieces in this volume define an alternative view of contemporary design. Artists include Kirsten Hassenfeld, Victoria May, Kent Henricksen, Aya Kakeda, Dave Cole, Margarita Cabrera and Kelly Breslin.

Slash: Paper under the Knife

Published to accompany a traveling exhibit opening at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, Slash: Paper Under the Knife examines the resurgence of traditional handcraft materials and techniques in contemporary art and design. Highlighting the work of forty-five international artists, among them Noriko Ambe, Ben Cowd, Dylan Graham, Oliver Herring, Georgia Russell, Olafur Eliasson, Tom Friedman, William Kentridge, and Kara Walker, the book features not only cut but also burned, torn, laser-cut, shredded and sculpted paper art.

Contemporary Textiles: The Fabric of Fine Art

This book is a stunning and comprehensive look at emerging artists from one of the most exciting mediums in the fine art world today that profiles some of the most daring and innovative examples of textiles in fine art. Artists include Matthew Barney, Maria Pineres, Jennifer Angus, Elaine Reichek, Jessica Rankin, Rosemarie Trockel, Yinka Shonibare, Tilleke Schwarz, Cosima von Bonin, Ghada Amer, Annette Messager, Mike Kelley, and Christo and Jeanne Claude.

Enjoy J

Science Sewing Circle | Sera Waters

As part of Flocked: collecting bird stories from SA exhibition at the South Australian Museum, artist Sera Waters will be hosting a Science Sewing Circle on Saturday 14 August 1:00 – 3:30pm. Bring along a stitching project and bird stories to share and experience the museum’s bird collection in the Biodiversity Gallery.

This is the last week to see the Inside SAM's Place exhibition which is an ongoing collaboration between Craftsouth and the South Australian Museum. Bookings are essential so please register on 8207 7090,

Waters has spent the last several months studying bird collections in the South Australian Museum and gathering personal bird stories from the public via a blog and a nest box installed in the museum foyer. Flocked  features new textile and embroidered work presented, together with bird skins, eggs and nests from the museum collection, creating a rich and complex world of anecdote and art celebrating the colourful culture of local birds and people, and the connections between them. "After the wonderful time I spent with the bird collection, and with individual birds, it struck me how much their world is intertwined with ours, and how reliant we are upon one another," says Waters.

Image: Sera Waters, Self as Plover, 2011, printed linen, felt, crewel and sequins, cotton + card, 130 x 80cm

Red Thread SALA Walk | 20 August

It's SALA Festival time again! And what better way to visit the fantastic variety of SA artists than with your fellow red threaders.

Join us on Saturday 20 August 11am | Meet at The Three River fountain on Victoria Square for a day of exploring our local talent and share our love of art. Some of the exhibitions so far include visiting Central Studios, Grote St, along King William and Pirie Street to Wish List 2011, Craftsouth and strolling through Adelaide Arcade to visit the Art Gallery of SA and Flinders University City Gallery as well as many others. Visit each of the links for exhibition information.

If you could please register your interest, by emailing k.growden@live.com or posting below.

Download the map and itinerary here and make sure to share with friends, and also bring a small amount of money for coffees and cakes along the way.

SALA Festival runs from 5 - 28 August and the full guide can be viewed on their website.

 

Image: Stephanie Radok, We speak your language, 2010 | solo exhibition at Flinders University City Gallery

the empty nest | pozible crowdfunding

For my upcoming solo exhibition, the empty nest at Seedling Art Space in October, I have established a community funding intiative through Pozible. Click this link for full project description and to make a pledge.

Pozible provides creative project creators with a platform to present their ideas to a worldwide audience. If anyone likes the idea, they can support it by pledging money to the creator's project. In return for their support, the project creator will offer rewards depending on the level of funding, essentially differentiating itself from the normal funding process.

 

As a textile artist, my practice predominantly utilizes the medium of handmade and recycled paper to transform a ubiquitous material from a flat surface into a three dimensional form. Exploring the notions of memory, belonging and the handmade I focus on altering the surface of the paper to create tactile qualities. This exhibition will be a significant professional development opportunity to present my first solo show as an emerging artist. 

 

Contributions of $10+ will fund a mentor/writer fee by Dr. Irmina van Niele, costs of production and installation needs, gallery hire, printing of invitations as well as play an important role in the development of my work as an emerging artist. 

 

Your support through pledges, forwarding this link by email or through Facebook or Twitter would be greatly appreciated. If you think anyone would be interested in supporting the project or if they would like more information, please feel free to contact me at k.growden@live.com