Nasher knocked it out of the park on this one!
So glad I caught this exhibit, featuring 15 years of work by African-born, Brooklyn-based artist Wangechi Mutu.
A search for female identity through collage, paint, video art, and installation. When you first walk in, you become aware of the sounds in the room. Nature, singing, roars, and waves, coming from various videos playing throughout the space; it really created a unique atmosphere for looking at her work.
I became completely obsessed with the way she incorporated this felted, recycled, almost-industrial fiber with her art, using it to cover entire walls. In one way, an art show is simply hanging art on walls, in Mutu's way, she thought beyond the typical, creating atmosphere and texture by using this textile. I was so inspired and you KNOW I love a good textile. What can I say, it perfectly complimented her work.
We all agreed this video was amazing. I mean, c'mon, she projected from the ceiling onto wood pallets that were sitting on more fiber. A great way to take this piece to another level, finding a new way for the viewer to watch it. Her press-on 'talons' ripping into a 3-layer cake, a very literal address towards overconsumption; she was absolutely engaging and entertaining. When, as she eats the cake, hair starts to get stuck in her mouth, I found myself giggling out loud. She made me rethink my blasé approach to video art.
Beatiful, huge collage on Mylar paper gave a unique dimension to her work and an interesting texture to her paint.
Love that repeat pattern!
Mutu definitely allows in a certain amount of gore, but her femininity shines through in bright red glitter and high heels!
How gorgeous is this? Her recycled fiber grows down to the floor with the help of packaging tape.
Being an artist myself, I need to remember that regularly attending exhibits like this is so important, not only to understand what other artists are doing around you, but also for the sheer inspiration and beauty of it all. Not to mention it makes me feel a whole lot better that she's been working on all this for 15 years. I guess my pace is not so slow after all!
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