"are NOT hand-woven from dyed hemp rope, BUT worked in a knotted macramé technique"
Weaving and macramé are different techniques: in fact, they have little to do with each other.
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As somewhere defined, "Art is that which is made by the human hand."
Seen in this light art is little beyond inventiveness and skill.
While holding appeal to the wealthy aesthete, the language used stretches a thin line between art and decoration.
One only needs to peruse the works of Goya to understand visual art illustrates that which cannot be otherwise expressed.
It is no wonder that work of the sort reviewed in this article receives the highest paeans isolating it to collectors and museums. It is harmless and speaks of a pursuit that only wealth allows.
As skillfully crafted as these works are, nothing, not even the amorphous aesthetics are questioned.
When I wove rope into bumpers for a tug once owned, they were attractive and had a purpose. While aesthetic and necessary the work was not beyond that which is made by the human hand.
In response to a critic of my work I pulled an old saw from the hat "It is art because I say it is".
Seems little has changed.
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Premodern media?
Such pretentiousness! She is a fiber artist with some bronze casting. Call things what they are! Can you imagine Michelangelo saying, “I work in pre-Renaissance materials, just don’t call then stone or plaster.” Absurd.
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Beautiful! Great write up, makes me want to travel to NY to see the show.
Happy to see women and people of color exhibited and a NY Times write up done so well!
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It's a shame the title of this article suggests that folk art and fiber art are exclusive from ingenuity and making others "think deeply".
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At times like this, I miss New York!
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Well done!
"It’s been a while since I was last truly startled by contemporary sculpture, enough to make me wonder “How on earth did someone even think to do this, never mind do it?”
Indeed...thank you for your work...it's such a pleasure to be PLEASANTLY startled by something these days.
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