Lost In Lace
I just about made it to the Lost in Lace exhibition on Saturday. It had been on since October last year in the Gas Hall at the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery but I only learned of it quite recently. Curated by Leslie Millar MBE, it featured contemporary interpretations of lace as created by a selection of international artists. The materials used ranged from feathers to metal so we were surrounded by a plethora of innovative forms.
The ethereal quality of Annie Bascoul's Jardin de lit, lit de jardin stopped me in my tracks. Realised in white down and suspended in mid-air, her deconstruction of a bed was - without question - my favourite piece. Beneath it, she had laid out text from a Béroalde de Verville poem fashioned from gold wire.
Bascoul's second piece, Moucharabieh, was cleverly juxtaposed to give a tantalising view of the "bed".
Ana Holck's installation was spartan in contrast but riveting, nonetheless. I loved its pared down simplicity, its unspoken reference to lace as an almost skeletal form.
Reiko Sudo's Tanabata Lace was equally beautiful and greatly enhanced by soft backlighting. Rather astonishingly, it was made by slit-melting polyester using a handheld heat cutter.
Michael Brennand-Wood's piece was crafted in metal and inspired by weaponry and the Rorschach test with suprisingly delicate results.
The most unexpected thing about the exhibition was the thoughtful addition of Touch and Feel stations around the room. I thought they were an ingenious way of making what could have been a static run-of-the-mill affair, a multi-sensory one.
This was perfect for our little girl who is at that wonderful age of discovery. She loves to know what everything is called and what it feels like so she had a marvellous time running her fingers over the array of textures provided.
Sometime in the spring she will be starting school and one of the things we loved about the one we have chosen, is its passion for introducing young children to art in galleries and museums. As parents, it certainly feels gratifying being responsible for her first forays into this new world; watching her little face as she drinks it all in.
She was particularly taken with Atelier Manferdini's Inverted Crystal Cathedral. Below is a slide show of how it was all (very carefully!) put together.
/Atelier Manferdini installation at Lost in Lace, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery from Crafts Council on Vimeo/
Needless to say, I am already excitedly planning our next art excursion.
What's on your wishlist? I welcome any recommendations or tips you may like to share!
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Reader Comments (9)
I sadly missed this exhibition but I'm glad I got to experience it through your eyes Chi, it looks wonderful. I too only found out about it recently and couldn't fit it into my schedule.
I think I might just be like your little girl - in awe of the Crystal Cathedral - it looks simply breathtaking!
I look forward to reading more of your art excursion posts - you have a good eye! I need to get out and about to more exhibitions.
I love this post, Chi. As you know, I'm across the pond (way across) so the likelihood of visiting this exhibition is nil, so thank you for sharing. I love all the installations you photographed. Your photos are beautiful, but I bet the installations were even more so in person. Right?
I also love that they had Touch and Feel stations. (The interactive parts were my kids' favorite when we went to LACMA.) "As parents, it certainly feels gratifying being responsible for her first forays into this new world..." Couldn't agree more. Cheers, mama!
The problem with living in London (not a huge one:) is that there is so much to see that anything outside the capital often escapes my radar. This is especially true of 2012 as the big boys are fighting for attention with mega exhibitions due to the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee.
Someone, somewhere then occasionally tells me of a gem they've seen. This time it's you and this exhibition. I am so glad you made the effort to go before it closes.
I visit many exhibitions but am often disappointed in the curation of them. This looks glorious as it's not only an interesting subject matter but displaying interesting methods so the interactivity really helps.
I always appreciate parents who try and awake their children's curiosity at an early stage. I did not encounter that till I was 15 and then had to make up for it, hence my insatiable appetite as an adult:)
You know I'm a big fan of the school you're sending your daughter to. She is extremely lucky to have parents like you guys.
Great photos and a great post Chi. x
Pure gorgeous-ness! To have some touch and feel stations in the exhibit makes in so much more stimulating {for the senses...}
The Inverted Crystal Cathedral is so magical. If only i lived closer...
Thanks, everyone - so glad you like the exhibition as much as I did!
There was such an abundance of great work (as you can see from the website) that I didn't have the time to photograph them all. :(
@Tina: Awwwwwwww - thank you, honey! :)
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! It takes lace out of fuddy-duddy and into spectacular, doesn't it?! I've only attempted knitting lace once, but the texture is so amazing. It makes me particularly glad for the touch-and-feel stations that you and your daughter got to enjoy. How exciting that she'll start school soon, and how lucky she is to have such an awesome experience awaiting her. Good job, Momma!
I really think the best thing my parents did for me was take me to museums and expose me to art. My dad was an artist, so it was important to him, and my mom has always had a passion for fine arts. Your daughter is one lucky lady and will grow up to have a wonderful appreciation for art and a certain refinement that a lot of other kids will lack simply because their parents don't see the value of museums, or can't find the time to take them. That exhibit looks beautiful. That first piece literally made me gasp. So gorgeous! Thanks for sharing :)
Chi it will never cease to amaze me how good you are at getting out and doing stuff. I live in London and don't do nearly as much stuff. And so lovely that your take you daughter.
My parents used to drag us around museums a lot when I was kid and I found it sooo boring. But I think museums are so much more fun nowadays, more interactive and stimulating.
For me, the Lucien Freud exhibition!
@ Erin: Thanks, duckie - I'm so moved by your kind comments!
Isn't the feather "bed" dreamy? I could totally see it in your all-white fantasy room! :D
@Annie: Oh, please - you amaze ME and you do get out-and-about a lot, considering.
Thank you, though. :D
I just tend to drag her around in order to feed my creative process. As long as she's got food, bucket-loads of water, and books, she's generally happy.