Tag: textile art

Leda Catunda at Bortolami Gallery

Titled ‘Geography,’ Brazilian artist Leda Catunda’s current exhibition at Bortolami Gallery offers personal interpretations of the landscape in the form of fabric-based sculptures sourced from materials created by the fashion and decoration industries.  Here, ‘Mapa Mundi’ juxtaposes the built environment (represented by swatches of plaid) with green areas inhabited by chickens.  She adds rocks from a shoreline, a few bucolic scenes of country life and ominous patches of flame, all surrounded by flowing waters.  Zones of striped colors suggest unknown aspects of life on the planet, in Catunda’s vision, a place created by our desire to define ourselves through images and design.  (On view through Dec 23rd).

Leda Catunda, Mapa Mundi, acrylic and enamel on fabric, wood, plastic, velvet, voile, flags, rug and foam, 90 ½ x 118 1/8 inches, 2022.

Mulyana at Sapar Contemporary

Indonesian artist Mulyana’s playful knit and crocheted sculptures are an immediate draw at Sapar Contemporary in Tribeca for their fantastical forms and bright colors.  Whether replicating a coral reef or crafting one of his signature alien or octopus-like creatures, the artist uses soft materials that create a feeling of comfort and intimate familiarity.  His intention is to encourage respect for the wonders of the natural world, titling his show ‘Fragile Ecologies,’ and explaining that for him, the process of creating the work is an act of meditation or prayer.  (On view in Tribeca through March 4th. Masks and social distancing required.)

Mulyana, foreground) Mogus 93, yarn, dacron, felt, 11 3/8 x 7 ½ x 26 ¾ inches, 2021.

Faig Ahmad at Sapar Contemporary

Titled ‘Pyr,’ Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed’s current solo exhibition at Sapar Contemporary in Tribeca refers to the Greek word for fire, a term for a Sufi spiritual guide and the name of his country, ‘a Land Protected by Holy Fire.’  The standout works – three carpet sculptures that appear to melt with heat or rise like a flame – are each titled after a historically important Azerbaijani thinker.  Here, the piece ‘Yahya Bakuvi’ refers to the 15th century philosopher and scientist and features muted colors and restricted geometries that allude to self-control.  (On view through Jan 6th. Note holiday hours and closures.)

Faig Ahmed, Yahya Bakuvi, handmade wool carpet, 125 5/8 x 51 1/8 inches, 2021.

Amanda Ross-Ho at Mitchell-Innes & Nash

At over four feet tall, this huge earring may be designed for a giant…but what kind of giant would wear it, or the enormous black t-shirts sliced to ribbons and hung from the gallery walls?  Amanda Ross-Ho blows up cheap fashions to attention-grabbing size, but her intention seems founded less criticism of the merchandise than in curiosity at what happens when banal products were presented as monumental.   (At Chelsea’s Mitchell-Innes & Nash through May 18th).

Amanda Ross-Ho, Gone Tomorrow, aluminum and steel plated in gold and brass, 2013.

Mark Barrow at Elizabeth Dee Gallery

Mark Barrow at Elizabeth Dee Gallery, Dec 2012.
Mark Barrow at Elizabeth Dee Gallery, Dec 2012.

Artist Mark Barrow and textile designer Sarah Parke (partners in art and life) turn the weave of a canvas into a work of art itself by devising loom patterns from red, green and blue thread to make a support.  Barrow then applies additional paint to the surface in tiny dot patterns creating a kind of secondary artwork on top of the woven fabric. (At Elizabeth Dee Gallery, Chelsea through Dec 15th.)