As February comes to a close, we reflect on the wonderful opportunities we’ve had this month to introduce some incredible artists. From sculptural works to intricate weaving, we’ve showcased a variety of talent that continues to inspire us here at bga. During the month, our New This Week series featured the work of Sue Lawty, Karyl Sisson, Merja Winqvist, and Carolina Yrarrázaval. Let’s take a moment to revisit the works we highlighted throughout February and celebrate their artistic achievements.
We began February by featuring the talented British artist Sue Lawty, whose work is deeply connected to the land and engages with the natural world. Lawty is known for creating intricate and emotive sculptures using materials like linen, wool, and other natural fibers. Her work explores the subtleties of material and construction, focusing on the repetitive elements that form distinct textual languages.
Lawty’s work has always emphasized a connection to the land and the tactile, meditative process of working with fibers, creating pieces that resonate with both the viewer’s eye and soul. With a long career that includes prestigious fellowships, including one at the Smithsonian Museums, Lawty’s influence in contemporary fiber art remains significant.
Next, we featured Karyl Sisson, a Los Angeles-based artist whose sculptures and textured forms are made from both modern and everyday materials. Sisson’s creative process is driven by pattern, repetition, and structure, with materials ranging from paper straws to fibers, often drawn from her surroundings. Her work draws inspiration from diverse sources, such as the landscape of Los Angeles, microbiology, and fashion manufacturing. By reinventing undervalued materials, Sisson challenges traditional gender roles and domesticity.
Her recent work with paper straws, inspired by cells and organisms, showcases her talent in transforming organic forms and shapes into art that grows naturally before our eyes.
Throughout the month we also highlighted Merja Winqvist, a Finnish artist known for her minimalist and sculptural textile works. Winqvist draws influence from aboriginal cultures, finding a common thread in the forms and structures she encountered in Africa, the Americas, and Asia. Her approach is rooted in functionalism, where the simplicity of her forms serves both aesthetic and practical purposes.
Winqvist’s work conveys strength and unity, with a focus on simplicity and durability. We’re honored to have featured her, as her work bridges different cultural influences and reflects a deep understanding of materiality and form.
Lastly, we showcased the work of Carolina Yrarrazaval, a Chilean artist whose intricate and tactile weaving is informed by her coastal surroundings. Drawing from multiple cultural references, including pre-Hispanic geometry and the subtlety of Japanese textiles, Yrarrázaval’s work speaks to a sense of place and time.
Her recent exhibition, Layer of Memories, explored these themes by layering materials like linen, silk, and hemp, creating works that reflect the natural beauty and textures of her environment. We are thrilled to continue sharing her remarkable artistic journey with you.
As we wrap up the month, we want to express our gratitude for your continued interest in these remarkable artists and their work. Stay tuned for more exciting new art in March! We’re thrilled to have you on this journey with us, and we look forward to more creativity, inspiration, and innovation in the months ahead.
News Flash: Artists Get Good Press
Lawrence LaBianca in the Aspen Sojourner
Then, in its Holiday issue, Aspen Sojourner printed a lengthy piece about LaBianca’s artist-in-residency at Anderson Ranch, “Ranch Hands: A day in the life of an Anderson Ranch artist-in-resident,” by Hilary Stunda http://softarchive.net/blogs/d3pz4i/aspen_sojourner_usa_holiday.882867.html.
Surface Design Winter 2012
The Winter 2012 of Surface Design,devoted four pages to Kyomi Iwata’s new work in kibisio, a by-product of silk spinning production in Japan, previously considered a waste material http://www.surfacedesign.org/publications/sda-journal. The same issue reviewed New York Fiber in the 21st Century at Lehman College Gallery and featured Tom’s photo of Norma Minkowitz’s King of the Hill and referenced Nancy Koenigsberg’s Light and Tempest, as “challeng[ing] the idea of flatness vs. sculptural, a middle ground that fiber works can uniquely occupy.”
Dail Behennah Grid Dish, 40:40 Forty Objects for Forty Years
The UK’s Craft Council included Dail Behennah’s Grid Dish as one of its 40:40/Forty Objects for Forty Years. You can see all 40 objects at: http://onviewonline.craftscouncil.org.uk/4040/.
Korean Foundation Newsletter 12 2011
The December 2011 issue of the Korea Foundation Newsletter featured a profile of Jin-Sook So in conjunction with coverage of the exhibition of Swedish craft art that she curated in Seoul late last year http://newsletter.kf.or.kr/news/news_201112/eng/sub_02.html. In the piece, “Encounter of Swedish Crafts and Korean Sensibilities; Textile Artist Jin-Sook So’s Views of Contemporary” So explains how Sweden and Korea influence her work. “I’ve lived in Sweden for 30 years and have traveled all over the world to create works and hold exhibitions, but my roots remain in Korea. Although I didn’t intend it to be, Korea and Korean sentiments have served as the spirit and inspiration that have motivated me. As time went by, it became even more evident, and I believe they will remain the roots of my work in the future.”
New York Spaces October 2011
So’s work of steel mesh, Untitled, was also included in the “Art Now” column of New York Spaces last October.
Textile Forum December 2011
Photos of work by three artists represented by browngrotta arts were featured in the December 2011 issue if the ETN textileforum. These included shots of Merja Winquist’s, Winter Garden, her large, on-site installation at the Sofia Paper Art Fest in Bulgaria, Anda Klancic’s lighted work, Aura FM, at the 2011 Como Miniartextil exhibition in Italy and Grethe Sorenson preparing for her Traces of Light exhibition at the Round Tower in Copenhagen, Denmark through March 11, 2012.