An exhibit at the Southwest School of Art has a decidedly odd twist to it. When you first see its contents, you wonder exactly what you’re seeing. The Southwest’s Barbara Hill explains.
“This is an exhibition called 'The Crochet Coral Reef' by Margaret Wertheim and her sister Christine.”
That title eliminates the mystery—the large objects do have that coral look. The pieces contain lots of crochet, and other unexpected items.
“A lot of them are incorporating recycled materials such as videotape, other plastics that they find. Margaret is very concerned with the plastic waste in the ocean.”
The environmental message is easy to get considering the art they created and the materials they used to create them.
“There’s a lot of texture going on, there’s a lot of light play going on.”
A crochet process in some of the pieces create shapes that are almost brain-like in shape.
“It is a continuously crocheted piece that’s just folded back on itself to create this volume that you’re seeing in front of you.”
Aside from its almost absurd premise—using trash to duplicate nature—they’re quite impressive. Unlike nature, the colors tend towards bright.
“It’s almost Dr. Seussian, wouldn’t you say?”
It is indeed. The free exhibit is up through April 26th at the Russell Hill Rogers Gallery in the new section of The Southwest School of Art. We’ve more here.
