RAC Gallery: Friday, 11 September 2009
Singing the Body Electric: Three textiles artists exhibit their insightful perceptions of life, death and the human body
September 11 - October 11, 2009
Opening reception 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. September 11, 2009 (free and open to the public)
Gallery hours: Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Singing the Body Electric embodies the same theme as the Walt Whitman poem it references by affirming the aesthetic qualities of the human body despite, and sometimes because of, its frailties. Using the work of three textiles artists- Julia Karll, Lindsay Obermeyer and Jennifer Wilkey - the exhibit, curated by Sarah Colby, examines the connections between illness, both physical and societal, and the human spirit.
Singing the Body Electric is presented as a part of Innovations in Textiles 8, a biennial collaborative event that investigates the state of contemporary textile arts. Nineteen arts organizations join forces to present exhibitions related to fiber art created by national and
international artists. The broad range of programming offered mirrors the symposium's dedication to the investigation of innovative ideas.
Julia Karll's work is her personalized reaction to world events, specifically the violence she often sees reported in the news. Knotted was formed by twisting pieces of newspaper into long ropes, and then interweaving them into a large, complex knot. Karll says the repetitive
process used in her work "not only symbolizes the multitude of physical and psychological losses due to violent conflict, but also creates an evidence of time and obsessive work." This, in turn, reflects her self-imposed obligation to read and react to the news.
Lindsay Obermeyer uses her art to make marvelous connections between her craft and that of medical professionals. She was inspired by her own experience with cancer and a 2003 surgery: "The surgeon used a vertical mattress stitch to suture my abdomen. As an embroiderer I could not help but admire his needlework skill." With beautifully graphic images, Obermeyer's work mimics the detail of medical illustrations.
Jennifer Wilkey collects various hospital artifacts (gowns, i.v. bags, x-rays, furniture) and alters them with her surgically precise knitting and embroidery. Her work humanizes the items, while the methodical nature of her craft mirrors the feeling of slow motion that can occur during a hospital stay. "While enclosed in a hospital room, life in the outside world continues and, in a sense, passes the patient by," Wilkey says.
September 11 - October 11, 2009
Opening reception 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. September 11, 2009 (free and open to the public)
Gallery hours: Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Singing the Body Electric embodies the same theme as the Walt Whitman poem it references by affirming the aesthetic qualities of the human body despite, and sometimes because of, its frailties. Using the work of three textiles artists- Julia Karll, Lindsay Obermeyer and Jennifer Wilkey - the exhibit, curated by Sarah Colby, examines the connections between illness, both physical and societal, and the human spirit.
Singing the Body Electric is presented as a part of Innovations in Textiles 8, a biennial collaborative event that investigates the state of contemporary textile arts. Nineteen arts organizations join forces to present exhibitions related to fiber art created by national and
international artists. The broad range of programming offered mirrors the symposium's dedication to the investigation of innovative ideas.
Julia Karll's work is her personalized reaction to world events, specifically the violence she often sees reported in the news. Knotted was formed by twisting pieces of newspaper into long ropes, and then interweaving them into a large, complex knot. Karll says the repetitive
process used in her work "not only symbolizes the multitude of physical and psychological losses due to violent conflict, but also creates an evidence of time and obsessive work." This, in turn, reflects her self-imposed obligation to read and react to the news.
Lindsay Obermeyer uses her art to make marvelous connections between her craft and that of medical professionals. She was inspired by her own experience with cancer and a 2003 surgery: "The surgeon used a vertical mattress stitch to suture my abdomen. As an embroiderer I could not help but admire his needlework skill." With beautifully graphic images, Obermeyer's work mimics the detail of medical illustrations.
Jennifer Wilkey collects various hospital artifacts (gowns, i.v. bags, x-rays, furniture) and alters them with her surgically precise knitting and embroidery. Her work humanizes the items, while the methodical nature of her craft mirrors the feeling of slow motion that can occur during a hospital stay. "While enclosed in a hospital room, life in the outside world continues and, in a sense, passes the patient by," Wilkey says.
The Gallery at the Regional Arts Commission
6128 Delmar Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63112
Free parking in the lot behind The Pageant; metered street parking
6128 Delmar Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63112
Free parking in the lot behind The Pageant; metered street parking
posted by Bill Barrett at 5:10 PM
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