Exhibition: Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting at the Museum of Arts and Design, 40 West 53rd Street, New York, NY. (::madmuseum)

Review writer: Stacey Hirvela

The exhibition Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting blurs the line between art and craft, causing the viewer to seriously question which is which, and if it matters at all. The emphasis of the exhibit is on the “radical lace” portion of the title. Artist Hildur Bjarnadottir states in the exhibit, “Lace is never for lace’s sake. It is a way to tell a story.” Appropriately, there are examples of “lace” made from porcelain, glass, fiber optics, carpet, rubber, car parts (a stunning piece), “Filigree Car Bombing” by Cal Lane, where found automobile parts are cut into lace patterns with a blow torch and more traditional materials used in new ways, such as cotton fiber and rope. It becomes clear that these artists see lace as more than a hyper-pretty, frilly accoutrement – it is a serious way to explore artistic concepts, such as line quality, repetition, space, and figure-ground relationships.

Image: Hildur Bjarnadóttir, Untitled (skulls) (detail), 1999, Crocheted cotton yarn, wood table

Image: Cal Lane, dirt works

The knitting portion of the show stays mostly true to its “subversive” title, commenting on feminism, thrift, warmth, the war, and the craft itself. Dave Cole, relishes the use of uncommon materials for knitting (the lead-knitted teddy bear in the show begs to be touched), and there is a video playing of his giant American flag being knitted with John Deere excavators and telephone poles. Many of the pieces are machine-knit, but Althea Merback’s one-twelfth scale “microknits” (she uses stainless steel medical wire for inserting IV needles) are beautifully done by hand.

Image: Dave Cole, lead knitted teddy bear

Image: Dave Cole, giant knitting machine, film still

The curation, siting, and interpretative materials are excellent. A statement from the artist accompanies each piece in the show, shedding insight on the work and the artist’s modus operandi. The visitor is left with much to think about and much to be inspired by. There is definitely enough here to keep non-crafting family and friends interested on a visit; serious makers will probably prefer to go at their own pace or make multiple visits. In any case, no one should miss the absolutely delightful exhibit of contemporary Netsuke on the bottom floor of the museum. These are beautifully done and full of imagination, with sweetly comic examples like Masami’s Gorilla In A Turtleneck sweater, fascinating grotesques like Hiraga Tanetoshi’s Two Bats Embracing, and breathtaking, expressive examples like Kiho Takagi’s Nautilus Owl Cradle. Both “Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting” and “Contemporary Netsuke” are up at the museum through June 17, 2007.