Nick Cave – HEARD•NY

This performative textile art installation in New York’s Grand central train station looks absolutely magical. I’ve come across Nick’s work before and it never fails to inspire.

For HEARD•NY, artist Nick Cave will transform Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall with a herd of thirty colorful life-size horses that will peacefully “graze” and periodically break into choreographed movement—or “crossings”— accompanied by live music. The project, which is open to the public free of charge, is presented by Creative Time and MTA Arts for Transit as part of a series of events celebrating the centennial of Grand Central.

*Source: Creative Time

I’ve been toying with the idea of developing a public art performative piece of the back of the research I’ve been undertaking into the symbolism of the unicorn for the last twelve months or so. The time restricted elements to this performance are interesting to me in this context as as is the combination of free and choreographed movement.

I do love the work that has been put into creating each of the horses in this work. They’re not mass produced but extravagant individual objects/costumes that would stand up as a work of art in their own right regardless of the performance.

This performance is not something I’ll be able to experience for myself any time soon but you can access more images and videos of Nick’s work through his website www.nickcaveart.com

Embroidery Artist Rosanna Wells

These embroidered drawing by Rosanna Wells are wonderfully delicate. These images are taken from a series entitled ‘Interpersonal Spacial Arrangements‘.

Each image has been created from an aerial view of a significant gathering/event. The main image above for example was created in response to an election protest, in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow 2011. Each stitch is representative of an individual persons present at this event. All the environmental surroundings, such as buildings, trees etc, are stripped out from the image.

The resulting images emphasise the voids remaining where buildings, railings or other such structures would appear and provide an interesting look at the way in which people organise themselves in a crowd. Presented in this way the works appear as an fascinating observation of humans tendency towards swarm behaviour

Roasanna has been selected for the Jerwood Makers Open 2013 and will be exhibiting at the Jerwood Space in London from the 10 July – 25 August.

You can view more of Rosanna’s exquisite stitched art work on her website: www.roannawells.co.uk

I love these tapestries by Erin Riley. Erin addresses contemporary cultural issues using traditional weaving techniques. These works are all created on a Macomber floor loom and she goes so far as to hand day all her own yarns.

These works address the self-exploitation associated with the internet age. Erin says:

“Most of the time I think of an idea and write it down, then go in for an outright search of the ideal image. So I search “upskirt”, or “drunk girl puking” then look at sketchy pictures for an hour or two, find a few that are really awesome and they sit in my folder for a bit until im ready to weave them”

I’m fascinated with these works with regard to some of the unicorn embroideries that I have been creating, particularly the ‘Bound’ series of works I made earlier this year which touched upon some similar areas of interest albeit from a slightly more abstract stance.