'Objectionable' quilt at Virginia show

Google Alerts picked this up today.
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_n...play#idc-cover

Here is the artist's website. http://kathynida.com/current-shows/
Note that to see her work you have to enter the password, which is
helpfully provided in a box on the right hand side: "I am over 18."
It looks as though the body (no pun intended) of her work is along the
same theme as quilt in the news story. It's art, and, as they say,
"great art doesn't have to match your sofa."

Nann

Definitely NOT my cup of tea. I am definitely a traditionalist when
it comes to quilts.

Cactus

On Feb 25, 3:19*pm, Nann wrote:
Google Alerts picked this up today.http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_n...it-quilt-on-di...

Here is the artist's website. *http://kathynida.com/current-shows/
Note that to see her work you have to enter the password, which is
helpfully provided in a box on the right hand side: "I am over 18."
It looks as though the body (no pun intended) of her work is along the
same theme as quilt in the news story. *It's art, and, as they say,
"great art doesn't have to match your sofa."

Nann

I'm not wild about the quilt, either, but it IS art -- simply in a
medium we don't expect for such a subject. I think the woman who
pitched a fit at the quilt show was completely out of line, and
probably a person who only believes in freedom of expression if it
fits into her ideas. How sad! All that being said, I vastly prefer
traditional quilts, and think the artist's message would be more
widely accepted and understood in a more traditional art medium, such
as oil painting. (Of course, the news about the quilt has certainly
sent a message far and wide, too.) Oh well.

It never ceases to amaze me that something can be called "art" simply
because someone somewhere decides that it is "art". Not my definition
of art, but then I would be considered "unenlightened" and
"ignorant". To each his own, I guess. I suppose the ultimate
definition of "art" is that it is a personal expression of whoever is
doing it. I hesitate to use the word "create", but I know many would
disagree with me. There is enough variety in "expression" to suit
everyone, but I do get tired of being told or treated as if I am too
ignorant to "appreciate fine art". Phooey! Everyone is entitled to
their opinion. Ah well. My sister is white-gloving at the show. I
guess that was not the only "nude" quilt there. Interesting. BTW,
not fussing at anyone here, just venting. lol

Cactus

Just thoughts in two directions (which is how my old brain usually works):
I believe a quilt should be: beautiful, happy, comforting, warm,
uplifting .... you can add your own words here.
OTOH ( you felt this coming) I reckon any of us could get attention by
assembling cotton pieces and making something offensive and ugly. Polly


"Cactus" wrote in message
...
It never ceases to amaze me that something can be called "art" simply
because someone somewhere decides that it is "art". Not my definition
of art, but then I would be considered "unenlightened" and
"ignorant". To each his own, I guess. I suppose the ultimate
definition of "art" is that it is a personal expression of whoever is
doing it. I hesitate to use the word "create", but I know many would
disagree with me. There is enough variety in "expression" to suit
everyone, but I do get tired of being told or treated as if I am too
ignorant to "appreciate fine art". Phooey! Everyone is entitled to
their opinion. Ah well. My sister is white-gloving at the show. I
guess that was not the only "nude" quilt there. Interesting. BTW,
not fussing at anyone here, just venting. lol

Cactus

There's quite a bit of art hanging in some very fine museums that I
personally do not like, and some of it I find very offensive -- as I
find this particular quilt to be, too. However, I support the
artist's freedom of expression, just the same as I support free
speech, including that which I find completely reprehensible. Such is
life in a free society.

Meanwhile, I am working on THREE very traditional quilts -- a
cathedral window (symbolic of Christianity), a Baltimore (pictures of
patriotic items and native US flowers), and Foggy Bottom (named for
where I designed it on a scratch pad during a very boring meeting).
Art? Depends on your definition. With a message? Kind of.

I love quilts to be all the things Polly said. But I don't believe the
artist in question ever intended her work to wrap up a crying baby.
She is an artist who has chosen fabric as her medium. It's unfortunate
that fiber artists are so often denied places in major shows of
'regular art', but the Mid-Atlantic is a major art show in its own
way. I believe we will be seeing more and more challenging subject
matter in quilts as more of the younger generation discovers that
fabric looks dynamic and incredible when you start playing with it.

I haven't got the nerve to do 'adult' quilts. Wish I thought I had the
artistic talent to get into one of the big quilt shows. But I think
the inclusion of artistic expression not intended for a bed covering
is a good thing for quilting in general. Let's keep those quilt shops
open, extend the range of what's expected, grow more artists and
quilters and .... yeah.

Wish I could see that show in person.

Sunny

On 26/02/11 04:03, Sunny wrote:
I love quilts to be all the things Polly said. But I don't believe the
artist in question ever intended her work to wrap up a crying baby.
She is an artist who has chosen fabric as her medium. It's unfortunate
that fiber artists are so often denied places in major shows of
'regular art', but the Mid-Atlantic is a major art show in its own
way. I believe we will be seeing more and more challenging subject
matter in quilts as more of the younger generation discovers that
fabric looks dynamic and incredible when you start playing with it.

I think you have hit the nail on the head there Sunny. Just because it
is quilted doesn't make it a quilt to be snuggled in. Which brings us
back to the thorny question of what it should be called. It is quilted
art, doesn't mean you have to like it. I have been to many art
exhibitions where I have thought "?!?!?!" about some pieces, loved
others and would not give house room to the majority, simply because
they were not my sort of art.

Lizzy

On Feb 25, 5:19*pm, Nann wrote:
Google Alerts picked this up today.http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_n...it-quilt-on-di...

Here is the artist's website. *http://kathynida.com/current-shows/
Note that to see her work you have to enter the password, which is
helpfully provided in a box on the right hand side: "I am over 18."
It looks as though the body (no pun intended) of her work is along the
same theme as quilt in the news story. *It's art, and, as they say,
"great art doesn't have to match your sofa."

Nann

I don't know, Art is subjective. Some likes one thing and some likes
another. I assume the artist means to be thought provoking, and she
surly did provoke some thought. Would I hang it over my couch? No,
probably not, but that is mainly because my couch sits in front of a
picture window, not because I consider it offensive. There is plenty
of quilting that I consider offensive, but that is of a more technical
critique, and not of a subjective one. I would not hang any of those
sorts of quilts over my couch even if it was not in front of a picture
window. I guess I wouldn't hang the picture in question because I
don't generally enjoy abstractions or modern styles of Art quilts. I
do enjoy looking at the techniques they use, sometimes, but the
overall "picture", is just not my cup of tea. I think she accomplished
just what she was seeking to accomplish, she got noticed. In that
sense, she was successful.
John

Art usually reflex the artist and IMHO that is just what
this
quilts says. It's not so much a "quilt" as a statement of
the
artist. It could even be her way of talking about herself.

Donna
in WA

Google Alerts picked this up today.
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_n...play#idc-cover

Here is the artist's website.
http://kathynida.com/current-shows/
Note that to see her work you have to enter the password,
which is
helpfully provided in a box on the right hand side: "I am
over 18."
It looks as though the body (no pun intended) of her work
is along the
same theme as quilt in the news story. It's art, and, as
they say,
"great art doesn't have to match your sofa."

Nann