COLLECTION NAME:
University Art Galleries (UMassD)
Record
exhibition_title:
The Intimate Apparel Exhibition (Merkin Exhibition): Reviving an Undercover Cover-Up
exhibition_dates:
January 30 - March 14, 2010
exhibition_year:
2010
exhibition_location:
University Art Gallery (UMass Dartmouth Galleries)
exhibition_curator:
Linda Gass
exhibition_note:
The exhibit originally debuted at the Pi Gallery in conjunction with the 14th International Surface Design Conference at the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. "Intimate Apparel" is an unusual and provocative exhibit of artists' merkins. It debuted in June 2007 at the Pi Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri and is now traveling to the Textile Center in Minneapolis, MN (September 18 - October 24, 2009) and the University Art Gallery at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (January 30 - March 14, 2010). Curator Linda Gass invited artists from around the world to participate and the resulting collection of works is wildly diverse and inspired. "What is a merkin?" you might ask. Few speakers of the English language know the meaning of the word. Dictionaries vary on the definition however most agree that it's a pubic wig. The authoritative Oxford English Dictionary defines it as "an artificial covering of hair for the female pubic region; a pubic wig for women." The origin of the merkin goes back many centuries to a time when pubic lice were a common problem and women had to shave their pubic area to eradicate the lice and relieve the itching. Someone then invented merkins to replace the shaved hair. Prostitutes were frequent wearers of merkins as well, using them to cover up the marks of syphilis and genital warts so they could appear to be disease-free and therefore still employable. As hygiene improved and drugs were developed, the need for merkins disappeared. When asked why she wanted to create this exhibit, curator Linda Gass replied "I thought it would be fun and fascinating to use this obscure historical object as a format for making art. It seemed like there were so many possibilities for expression and I wanted to see what this group of talented artists could do. The works they have created have exceeded my expectations." The invited artists are innovators in their respective fields some are inventors of key surface design techniques and others have significantly expanded on traditional techniques. A common characteristic in all of the artists is their willingness to take risks. They have created a collection of visually exciting pieces utilizing weaving, embroidery, crochet, quilting, fusing, felting, silkscreening, monoprinting, marbling, beading, bookmaking, basketry, painting, casting, burning, and mixed media assemblage. The artists explore a wide range of issues in the artwork for this exhibition. Although the original function of the merkin was to replace something "lost" in an area of the body we often consider very private and vulnerable, the artists have gone far beyond these beginnings. The artworks address sexuality, fertility, shame, self-esteem, danger, power struggles and domination, flirtation and seduction, voyeurism, pleasure, and the stages of our lives. Many of the artists use humor in their work - some directly through use of illustrative graphics, others more subtly through their choice of materials or title. The artists' merkins are made from diverse and sometime surprising materials. In addition to fabrics such as velvet, silk, cotton and lace, the artists have used beads, sequins, human hair, X-acto blades, silicone fishing bait, bobby pins, pine cone scales, chrysanthemum stamens, lichen collected from the Black Forest in Germany, seaweed, glass eyes, fish skin, vintage keys, match sticks, mirrors, aluminum, copper wire, rusted metal washers, and plastic and glass fruit. One of the merkins will literally come to life during the exhibit: it is made of moss and seeds and visitors to the gallery will be able to interact with the merkin by misting it with water to help it grow. http://www.lindagas…
exhibition_genre:
mixed-media, wearable objects
resourceID:
06_blevy_002
resource_type:
photographs
copyright notice:
COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION: Under the direction of the Visual Resource Center digital collections are made available to the UMass Dartmouth campus community for the sole purpose of classroom instruction and study in accordance U.S. Copyright Laws . All other uses are prohibited and are subject to copyright infringements.
credit line:
UMass Dartmouth Art Galleries
artist name:
Levy , Bette
artist_nationality:
American
artist_biographical note:
BIOGRAPHY: Bette Levy has an undergraduate degree in experimental psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and two masters' degrees, one in art therapy and one in fiber arts from the University of Louisville. Following a two-decade career in art therapy, fund development and program planning, Levy became a full-time studio artist in 1992. Levy practices what she calls "non-traditional embroidery art." Primarily a hand embroiderer, Levy's signature is the use of vividly-colored silk thread on black silk noil grounds. Levy has developed a personal language of stitches that enables her to "draw" or "paint" with thread on fabric. Her subject matter is often based on her own photographic studies and is small scale and abstract. Through her fiber art, Levy has participated in numerous exhibitions and conducted personal research into textiles through world-wide travel. She is a charter member of LAFTA (Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists), a member of Fiber Forum, an arm of the Embroiderers' Guild of America, and a Board member of the Surface Design Association. Levy also is the Visual Arts Chair at the Jewish Community Center and is a member of PYRO Gallery, a cooperative gallery in Louisville, KY.
work_title:
Traveling Merkin Salesman's Display Case
work_medium:
Waxed thread on vintage keys, dupioni, crochet
work_technique:
fiber art
work_technique:
mixed media
work_technique:
sculpture - construction
work_date:
2006
work_note:
Dimensions: 11" w x 16.5" h x 1.5" d
work_topic:
"Merkin" - The authoritative Oxford English Dictionary defines it as "an artificial covering of hair for the female pubic region; a pubic wig for women."
date_of_ record:
2013
name_cataloger:
BC
Traveling Merkin Salesman's Display Case
