Envision a collection of colors and shapes. Some are strategically placed, some overlap, some are blank, and some are overly decadent. Now take a step back. All this creates one large and captivating design. If you find that impressive, wait until you hear the actual product. Would u have guessed it to be a quilt? No? Me neither. However, these weren’t your average quilts. They didn’t resemble anything that you’d see your grandmother knitting on a cold winter’s night. These quilts shone with innovation. There were quilts created with film, and others created with envelopes.
“Camouflage”
The exhibit alt_quilts at the American Folk Art Museum was a rather small exhibit but this did not take away from the impact of the art. It features the work of Sabrina Gschwandtner, Stephen Sollins and Luke Haynes. Each artist has a remarkable connection, many marked with a signature quality. Sabrina Gschwandtner seems fixated on utilizing film negatives in her quilts, and innovation I found quite brilliant. The way the lighting reflected through her quilts and their vividness of had me mesmerized. The visual effects it had were impressive. She achieved these effects by bleaching the film in the sun and scratching it. When I examined the film close up I could clearly identify the tiny images: peope, faces, hands, hats and more. As is often the case some of Gschwandtner work was there not just to show its beauty but also to convey a message. Her work “Camouflage” was composed of two different films. One gave the impression of a happy environment in an industrial textile mill and the other depicted children creating shadow puppets. The description of this read as follows: “the artists wanted to ‘bring out the shadowy aspects of the textile mill, and to represent the idea of ‘camouflage’ in multiple ways. I found her manipulation of film quite clever.
“Tumbling Blocks”
Sollins, on the other hand, took a different approach to creativity. He fabricated quilts with intricate patterns from envelopes or scraps of paper. I was able to identify recycled paper from capital one, post office boxes, Kohls and even marble notebook covers in his work “Untitled (Return to Sender, after Mary Jane Smith)”. It is often overlooked that everyday objects are art. I am sure most people wouldn’t consider taking their mail and compiling it so they could later construct art with it. Sollins reminds us that everyday objects can be art through his manipulation of, what many would identify, as unwanted recyclables.
Luke Haynes work constructs usable objects from unusable cloths. His Iconography series is meant to reflect the theme “from rags to riches”. He has created an overlaid image reflecting the artists Kanye West and Jay Z in one of his quilts. I found the idea very unique. This is the very first quilt you see upon entering the museum. It is large and very eye-grabbing. I assume the largeness is a way to emphasize Hayne’s statement. Theirs is not the only face Haynes has based his quilts on. He is also known as the model of his own art. There is something about putting your face out there for the world to see that gives his work a more intimate and personal feel.
There was a section of the exhibit entitled “Quilts of Illusion”. One of these quilts was Sollins “Tumbling Blocks” which did indeed leave the impression of falling blocks. This work of art was very personal to Sollins as it was fashioned from the mail of his children and his own, representative of moments in their lives. I would have never considered the use of a quilt in a sort of scrapbooking way. The quilt’s depth and colors makes it appear three dimensional.
The complexity of these quilts made obvious the great amount of time and effort that went into their making. There is no doubt about it, the quilts are an intriguing form of contemporary art. But, I cannot say that the quilts are simply art. They are a science. Dissecting the work I realized what an in-depth thought process the artist must go through. They figure out the placement of which material where, and how they can achieve their desired affect through this. The planning out is effortful but I wouldn’t be surprised if the physical act of putting the quilt together was more so. I must admit I was wary about attending this exhibit. “Quilts, really?” I thought, “What could be so special about them that are being displayed in a museum?” Upon entering the museum my questions were answered and doubts were erased. I must admit my favorite part of the exhibit was Sabrina Gschwandtner’s work. Not only did her work create beautiful patterns but they told a story. I enjoyed moving in closer to examine the details and specific pictures on the film negatives. I do suggest that you pay a visit to this exhibit. If you are doubtful because this isn’t an exhibit you would normally consider attending let me reassure you that trying something new can turn out to be a success. Sabrina Gschwandtner, Stephen Sollins and Luke Haynes prove my point.
The definition of contemporary art has spanned over time. Taking quilt making, a traditional act, and modernizing it led to the production of an enjoyable exhibit filled with remarkable work. When I completed my tour of the exhibit I glanced back at the other spectators. They seemed very entranced and I realized I must’ve looked just like that observing the quilts. I have developed new-found respect and appreciation for the art of quilt making.
(Proof of attendance)
