Yard Works
Gail Miller, Reflections of the Day, 2016, detail
Yard Works | Textile Study Group of New York
September 21 - November 16, 2016
Lobby Gallery
1133 Avenue of the Americas
(between 43rd and 44th Street.)
New York, NY
Nearest Trains: F, D, M, 7, 1, 2, 3, N, Q, R
Open Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm
Reservations required, e-mail: janusz@chashama.org
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 6, 6-8pm
So expansive is the concept of what qualifies as “textile art,” a constantly evolving field rife with a wide-ranging diversity of processes and materials, that the connection between two textile artists may seem tenuous at best. In this vein, textile art exhibits, featuring the work of artists working in a disparate variety of media relying on solely the unifying power of the term, far from feeling unified, often yield a discordant event.
In an effort to curate a more coherent show, while honoring the lushness of textile art’s inclusivity, TSGNY (Textile Study Group New York), took a different approach. The members of TSGNY were challenged to create works restricted to stretched canvasses measuring exactly thirty-six inches (or 1 yard) in length (varying in width from twelve to thirty-six inches). The challenge offered just enough “restriction” to create a throughline of commonality, while maintaining enough openness to permit each artist to retain their individual voices.
The twenty-one mixed media pieces selected for Yard Works encompass a wide variety of materials ranging from the traditional textile components of fabric and thread, to non-traditional elements of copper wire and acrylic paint. Each exhibited work is unique in its materials and processes, and yet, through the simple structure presented by setting dimensions for the work, a shared connection between works, and a cohesiveness in the exhibit, arose.
Participating artists of TSGNY include: Barbara Schulman, Cheryl Gerhart, Deborah L. Brand, Elisa Kessler Caporale, Gail Miller, Jane Broaddus, Julia Kiechel, Kathryn Kosto, K. Velis Turan, Kim Svoboda, Larry Schulte, Linda G. Parker, Margaret Cusack, Marilyn Henrion, Nancy Koenigsberg, Rodica Tenenbaum, Saaraliisa Ylitalo, Susan Ball Faeder, Susan T. Edmunds, Valerie Zeman and Yasuko Okumura.
About TSGNY
The Textile Study Group of New York, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to to promoting a wider appreciation of fiber art, and to supporting artists who share a mutual commitment to fiber as a medium for artistic expression. Founded in 1977 by a small group of artists to explore and expand their knowledge of the possibilities in the textile arts, monthly meetings were organized to share news, resources, criticism, and inspiration. Since then, the Textile Study Group of New York has grown to a membership of approximately 200, attracting a diverse range of members, including artists, arts professionals, collectors, conservators, curators, historians, teachers and writers.
For more information please visit http://www.tsgny.org/
