"Fabrications: Cat Chow, Anne Elizabeth and Jill Ziccardi"
2004-10-08 until 2004-11-11
Woman Made Gallery
Chicago, IL, USA United States of America

FABRICATIONS is an exhibition, which uses articles of fashion and domesticity as a metaphor for women’s experiences. The work included is meant to challenge the viewer to question the role of women and distinctions between objects of art, fashion and domesticity. Fashion establishes standards of behavior and dress for women through advertising, television, and other popular media. Similarly, everyday household items are identified to belong in the traditional female sphere. In this exhibition four different artists explore these ideas by presenting works of art that ” redress” what is identified as feminine or belonging into the female sphere and confront identities that we expect women to uphold.

Cat Chow is showing three new works from her Mourning Gowns series which is inspired by Victorian mourning/memorial jewelry.  Chow’s work blurs the distinctions between sculpture, fashion and architecture. She manipulates everyday objects into fabrics, using techniques such as weaving and integrates chain mail – flexible material of interlinked metal rings - into her structures. She utilizes materials that are common to clothing production, such as zippers, tape measures and bobbins, but also obscures the meaning of fashion by using sandpaper and mini-blinds.

Anne Elizabeth is presenting three new pieces entitled "Not Noh", "Not Without Words", and "Not Without Words Too". All three are kimonos that encircle the room with their grace and shimmer with light reflecting off their silver surfaces and ginkgo leaves. "Not Noh" is made of almost 2,000 Lipton teabags, each painted raspberry red and individually wrapped in sik ribbons. This piece contrasts the century old traditions of Japanese Nohs and tea ceremonies with our current fast-paced world that has precious little time for such graces.

Jill Ziccardi makes large paintings on upholstery fabric that examine different brands of femininity. These surreal and suggestive images of articles of clothing, desserts and domestic items are sarcastic and derived from “pet names” and common language slurs that are assigned to women. Ziccardi’s images are empowered with wit, bold sexuality, kitschy domesticity, and girliness. 

A large part of Julie Laffin’s artmaking involves the conception, design, construction and wearing of overly large gowns. She views these dresses as sculptures which become activated by the performances she does, creating situations to be negotiated by the audience while she inhabits their space. Laffin’s mission is to invert stereotypical female iconography in the process.

A group exhibition of the same name and concept juried by Janet Bloch features works by Lauren Frances Adams, Sandra Ahten, Clare Britt, Sara L. Broers Brown, Sharon Davie-Barrett, Bea Drysdale, Carol Es, F. Ferdinands, Andries Fourie, Michelle C. Fried, Kathy Halper, Jennifer Hecker, Rebekka Herrington, Allison Hill, Dawn Hunter, Stephanie Kluk, Karin Kuzniar, Deana Lawson, Anya Liftig, Alison Luoma, Ginnie Lupi, Cindy Matchett, Jesse Mathes, Jana C. Perez, Jannette Rho, Leslie Schug, Gail Smuda, Trudonna, Tessa Windt, Judith Winn

IMAGE
Alison Luoma (OH)
Oops (Spill)
plastic, wax, rubber
14" x 30" x 24"

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for the State of Illinois

Other Important Exhibitions in United States