Press Release
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Racine Art Museum Ties Current Exhibitions Together with Selections from
Permanent Collection
Racine, WI December 12, 2008
Coinciding with Arline Fisch's current exhibitions and the celebrated arrival of Lloyd Cotsen's Contemporary American Basket Collection, the Racine Art Museum presents All Tied Up: Knitted and Knotted Work in RAM's Collection. Open December 21, 2008 through March 8, 2009, this exhibition features works from RAM's permanent collection that demonstrate diverse knotting techniques, used on a variety of materials.
Knotting is one of the oldest techniques used to join fibers. Cultures throughout human history have employed this method for the creation of functional fiberworks. In the 20th century, contemporary fiber artists investigated a host of traditional knotting practices as a means to explore the past of their chosen medium. These artists broke new aesthetic ground by adapting techniques to construct modern sculptural works with ancient materials.
RAM's current shows present a variety of approaches to knotting. Arline Fisch's installation in RAM's windows demonstrates her career-long interest in employing fiber techniques to create metal jewelry. Now, Fisch has expanded her range to crochet large sculptural forms in metal. RAM also celebrates the arrival of the Cotsen Contemporary American Basket Collection. The Cotsen gift contains sculptures and vessel forms, many of which are fashioned with knotting techniques. All Tied Up artistically ties these two shows together - gathering works from RAM's collection that demonstrate different knotting techniques used to construct form, structure or surface decoration.
This show features a wide range of knotting applications to demonstrate the versatility of this method. Rebecca Medel, Joan Michaels Paque and Olga de Amaral fashion large-scale sculptures using either a single knot or many. At the miniature end of the scale spectrum, Jan Buckman and Patti Lechman create both three-dimensional forms as well as surface decoration by knotting linen. Similarly, Diane Itter used square knots to create visually energetic miniature tapestries.
In addition to using knotting to assemble artworks, some of these artists utilize knotting to create embellishments or surface decoration. For example, artist Kiyomi Iwata uses French knots, set into the surface of her basketworks, to create an interesting texture and visual rhythm.
This exhibition is made possible by: Premiere Sponsors - Karen Johnson Boyd and William B. Boyd, Members of the RAM Society, The Hearst Foundation, Inc. and SC Johnson; Exhibition Sponsors - Racine United Arts Fund and Wisconsin Arts Board; Education Program Sponsors - Educators Credit Union and Walker Forge, Inc. |
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Together, the two campuses of the Racine Art Museum, RAM in downtown Racine at 441 Main Street and the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts at 2519 Northwestern Avenue, seek to elevate the stature of contemporary crafts to that of fine art by exhibiting significant works in craft media with painting, sculpture and photography, while providing outstanding educational art programming.
Docent led contemporary craft and architectural tours of the museums are available. Both campuses of the Racine Art Museum, are open to the public Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, and are closed Mondays, Federal holidays and Easter. RAM is open Sunday Noon - 5:00 pm, while Wustum is closed Sundays. An admission fee of $5 for adults, with reduced fees for students and seniors, applies at RAM. Admission to Wustum is free. Members are always admitted without charge to either campus.
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Laura M. Gillespie
Marketing Assistant
lgillespie@ramart.org
Racine Art Museum
441 Main Street
Racine, WI 53401-0187
p. 262.636.8300
f. 262.898.1045
www.ramart.org
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