October 28, 2005 – January 27, 2006
Beyond The Weave: New Directions in Fiber Art
Oakland International Airport

Airport Exhibition Archive

Artist: Harriete Estel Berman. Photo: Michael Temperio

In the 1950s, artists began to push the boundaries that defined the materials appropriate for art. By the 1960s fiber artists were exploring the art potential of textiles. Textiles—the clothing and household fabrics that surround us in daily life—are usually taken for granted. But in these contemporary artworks, the word textile takes on new meaning.

Clothing may be more than meets the eye. Rose Kelly’s delicate garments are not designed to be worn. They are waysto evoke emotions and suggest human characteristics, like vulnerability. Susan Taber Avila’s dazzling clothing-related busts are an abstraction of the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas.

A broader definition of textile materials has evolved.Richard Elliott has used a humble fibrous material—paper—to create elegant, formal vessels. Carol Durham turns gut into an expressive, sculptural material in her range of non-functioning shoes. The exquisite handwork of Candace Kling’s super-realistic chocolates are miniature sculptures in satin. They radiate luxury and self-indulgence.

Right case: Carol Durham Left case: Susan Taber Avila. Photo Michael Temperio

Artists also express social concerns through their use of textile techniques. Gugger Petter weaves her figures on a loom, but her works in recycled newspaper also send a message about the environment. Harriete Estel Berman pleats and pieces metal like a quilt maker might stitch fabric. Berman’s material is printed tin from recycled dollhouses and food containers. Her vivid images and colors underscore messages about issues faced by women in a consumer society. Stuart Wagner’s bold quilt-like collage of beverage cans entitled First Prize suggests the competitive nature of the consumer arena.

Suzanne Baizerman
Oakland Museum of California

This exhibition represents a collaboration between the Oakland Museum
of California and the online gallery, fiberscene.com, with the assistance
of Myra Goodall Block, Susan Taber Avila and Candace Kling.