Going Organic
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| Kay Lawrence's 'Day by Day' is an ode to the dedication needed for a kantha style quilt with an accompanying journal |
The act of methodically stitch is not that radically different to writing. One word, one stitch after another to create a whole. Given that we do both, it was no wonder we loved the new show Organic Intimacy at Stephen McLaughlan Gallery.
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| Sara Lindsay acts as both curator and artist with her clever work |
Tucked up in the Nicholas Building you have to really keep track of what is going on up there because the shows are often so quiet they slip in and out without us knowing. To my mind a textile based exhibition curated by textile artist Sara Lindsay should have a little more fanfare.
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| Rosemary O Rourke puts pen to paper to express movement in cloth through drawn stitches |
The makers involved have created work of great delicacy, thought and finish. There is no rough and ready slapdash woolly tomfoolery on show here. It doesn't have the joy or playfulness of that sort of work. As a viewer you need to take your time, there is no 'speed reading' possible here.
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| Claire Collett's piece was delicate and robust at the same time, capturing the stitch as strength in her well balanced work |
Accompanying the work is a fantastic essay by artist Ruth Hadlow that provides rich insight to the painstaking process of creating art with a needle and thread. It takes complete dedication to both process and end point. No one could accuse this group of artists taking any short cuts.
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| Michele Eliot adds sophisticated concepts to upcycling gifted clothes |
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| Ema Shin's delicate woodblock and stitched work is seductive and serene |
The over all palette is cool and serene, there are no neon triangles to wage war on the senses. Don't get us wrong, we love neon triangles (in fact I'm wearing one right now) but what we are after from textile based art on show is balance. We want to see it all, and it was refreshing to find work that spoke so articulately about the connections between stitch thought and word.
Words RAMONA Pictures BECK
Wednesday - Saturday Open until April 12
11-5pm
Stephen McLaughlan Gallery
Room 816, Nicholas Building
Melbourne
8 comments:
Thanks for the lovely review, Beck! Would you mind crediting my work please? It's the only one without artist details.
Claire Collett
Many thanks for this insightful review! The exhibition is going to Ararat Regional Art Gallery from October 12- November 30 and I am working on further possibilities!
Sara
Dear Claire, apologies on the oversight. My review went up pre coffee this morning! congratulations on your beautiful work - RAMONA
Sara, we did genuinely love the show. Congratulations on putting together such a fine and sensitive textile based art from a wonderful group of makers - Ramona and Beck
Oh! i'll definitely have to check this out! thanks
Ooops -- I have never even heard of that gallery! Will head up there today. There is A LOT to be said for work that doesn't take short cuts or contain neon triangles. Something to keep in mind while doing one's own work.....
Sending you love and the bestest of thoughts and wishes xxx
Lovely, lovely, thanks for sharing.
Stephen McLaughlan Gallery often have shows featuring the hand made. You can keep up with the latest on their Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/StephenMcLaughlanGallery
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