Love and AfFUNCTION Gallery Exhibit
Kingdom at the Knitting Factory Brooklyn
Front Bar
361 Metropolitan Ave Brooklyn, NY
July 29th-August 12th, 2010
Opening reception: Thursday July 29th 2010 6-9 pm
Love and AfFUNCTION showcases craft-based works that transcend functionality as a work of art to make a fashion statement. Rebecca Sherman and Angel Jackson are visual artists who have recently applied their aesthetic to functional items such as tote bags, t-shirts, bookmarks and journals. Working under appropriated brand names, BHEKI and In Stitches incorporate collage, recycled objects, Pop Culture Humor and Irony to their one of a kind, handmade creations.
Rebecca Sherman ‘s BHEKI line features unique designs that collage and re-interpret her paintings with embroidered drawings, digitally printed illustrations and other embellishments. The concept of using a practical tote and t-shirt as an artist’s canvas has allowed her to create avant-garde designs with the spirit of contemporary art and “haute couture fashion.” For example, Sherman’s DADONNA (DADA meets Madonna) tote designs juxtapose fishnet stockings, pearls, chains, splatter paint and totally 80’s kitsch while Jackson’s Pin Up bookmark collages Film Noir Sirens with lace, beads, sequins, mesh, buttons, sass, and cheeky catch phrases.
Angel Jackson’s In Stitches includes mixed media collaged bookmarks and lingerie-inspired journals. Each design is handmade, featuring pinup imagery, paper and fabric collage, embroidery, tracing on velum and typography. Although these works of art reference a function and can be used in our everyday lives, it is not the priority. Sherman and Jackson strive to pursue their art with limited resources in a difficult economy. The artistic merit exceeds traditional product standards to overcome the limitations of “Art-Inspired Fashions” and “Arts and Crafts.” All of the designs can be framed, mounted and hung on the wall as a pure work of art. Ultimately the function in the context of fashion makes their art more accessible.
Love and AfFUNCTION will feature a selection of BHEKI and In Stitches Products with contemporary DADA Bulletins. In addition, both artists will exhibit paintings, prints and mix-media collages to reference their original practice and personal narratives.
For more information, please contact Rebecca Sherman at bhekiart@gmail.com
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