Presence

Magdalena Abakanowicz died last week. I want to note that here, because of the influence she's had on my work. I did a degree in Embroidery, then started making quilts. When I started out, it was clear to me that for that format to work, it needed to step far away from traditional roots and the chip on the shoulder that exists. Magdalena's work inspired me to have ambitions of scale and to strive for my work to have presence.

BOIS - LE - DUC
1970/71, sisal and wool weaving
800 x 2000 x 200 cm
Collection of the Provinciehuis, s'Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands

BLACK ENVIRONMENT
1970-78, sisal weaving, fifteen pieces
each on metal support
fifteen pieces, each :
300 x 80 x 80 cm
Collection of the artist

My quilt Surrounded was a direct reference to her Black Environment. I loved the idea that a viewer could walk around and be amongst the work. Surrounded was partially attached the wall, but then curved away creating a space big enough for one person to stand inside. It's an old piece now, but if I can find a photo of it in the depths of my filing system I'll add one here at some point...!

Here's a link to Magdalena Abakanowicz's website if you'd like to check out more of her work.

http://www.abakanowicz.art.pl

Bye for now,

Laura

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