Elissa Auther Knihy

Erstmals werden in dieser Publikation Sonya Clarks großformatige kollaborative Werke dokumentiert und kontextualisiert. Sie bezeugen ihr beständiges Engagement im Kampf gegen die Rassenungleichheit in der US-Gesellschaft. Auf kreative Weise will sie Betrachterinnen und Betrachter zum Nachdenken über die Geschichte der Sklaverei in den USA anregen und unsere eigene Rolle bei der Beseitigung des systemimmanenten Rassismus verdeutlichen. Seit langem setzt Clark sich in ihrem Schaffen mit Fragen rund um Geschichte, Rasse und Versöhnung auseinander. Ihre Werkstoffe sind bezeichnenderweise oft Fasern, Textilien und andere Alltagsmaterialien, die sie im Licht der eng miteinander verflochtenen Geschichte von Kunst und Handwerk sieht. Für Menschen am Rande der Gesellschaft (insbesondere Afroamerikaner*innen und Frauen) sicherte Handwerk das Überleben und war deshalb auch wichtig für den Erhalt der kollektiven Identität. Für Clark spielt Kunsthandwerk deshalb im Kontext der Gleichberechtigung eine elementare Rolle.

String, Felt, Thread presents an unconventional history of the American art world, chronicling the advance of thread, rope, string, felt, and fabric from the "low" world of craft to the "high" world of art in the 1960s and 1970s and the emergence today of a craft counterculture. In this full-color illustrated volume, Elissa Auther discusses the work of American artists using fiber, considering provocative questions of material, process, and intention that bridge the art-craft divide. Drawn to the aesthetic possibilities and symbolic power of fiber, the artists whose work is explored here-Eva Hesse, Robert Morris, Claire Zeisler, Miriam Schapiro, Faith Ringgold, and others-experimented with materials that previously had been dismissed for their associations with the merely decorative, with "arts and crafts," and with "women's work." In analyzing this shift and these exceptional artists' works, Auther engages far-reaching debates in the art world: What accounts for the distinction between art and craft? Who assigns value to these categories, and who polices the boundaries distinguishing them? String, Felt, Thread not only illuminates the centrality of fiber to contemporary artistic practice but also uncovers the social dynamics-including the roles of race and gender-that determine how art has historically been defined and valued.

This book explores a transformative American art movement that challenged traditional aesthetic norms through vibrant color and intricate ornamentation. It provides a comprehensive examination of the movement's significance and its impact on the art world, highlighting the ways it reshaped perceptions of beauty and artistic value. Through detailed analysis, the work celebrates the creativity and innovation that characterized this pivotal period in art history.

The book showcases the first museum retrospective of Mary Weatherford, highlighting her bold contributions to American abstraction. It explores her innovative techniques and significant impact on contemporary art, celebrating her as a leading figure among modern painters. Through this collection, readers gain insight into her artistic journey and the themes that define her work.

The first book about the genre-defying costume designer, artist and performer Machine Dazzle, accompanying a major exhibition.