Media Release. August 22, 1994

Textiles, That Is To Say

Sheila Ayearst
Laura Baird
Bob Boyer
Naoko Furue
Mindy Van Miller
Louise Noguchi
Ted Rettig
Robert Windrum

September 10 to October 8, 1994
Opening Reception Saturday September 10, 5:30pm
Preceded by Artists and Curators Talks at 3pm

Curated by John Armstrong and Sarah Quinton originally for the Museum for Textiles in Toronto (1994), Textiles, That Is To Say, brings together the often separate communities of fine art and craft in the work of eight Canadian artists from diverse regional and cultural backgrounds. Textiles are explored here
as craft or as metaphor, with the intention of also reflecting discourses of contemporary art and society.

Sheila Ayearst (Toronto, Ont) disassembles the craft of Old Master oil glazing on industrially woven canvas, Laura Baird (Vancouver, BC/New York, NY) has made a needlework tapestry depicting the Jonestown massacre, Bob Boyer (Regina, Sask.) paints on imported, budget-priced blankets, wryly commenting on the history of First Nations and European contact, Naoko Furue (Halifax, NS) reassembles nineteenth century silk kimonos with meticulous stitching, Mindy Van Miller (Montreal, QC) works with human hair in labour intensive installations evocative of memory and bereavement, Louise Noguchi (Toronto, Ont.) paints and quotes camouflage pattern, making reference to the subterfuge inherent in military uniform, Ted Rettig’s (Weston, Ont.) limestone sculpture uses traditions of knotted and floral motifs, and Robert Windrum (Toronto, Ont.) embroiders tattoo imagery on household linen and clothing.

A catalogue accompanies this exhibition.