I've always liked the work of Paul Klee but hadn't looked at it in any detail. A day spent at the exhibition at Tate Modern was an eye opener and source of inspiration. As I am primarily a textile artist, I couldn't help but see his work interpreted in fabric: sheers and solids, plain and textured, layered and appliqued.
The series of work done in 1921 - 'Fishes in the Deep', 'Aquarium', 'Pot Shapes, Transparent' and 'Red, Green Gradation' - struck me as if they could have easily have been executed in layers of sheer fabrics.
His 1926 works, 'Sacred Islands', 'View of a Mountain Sanctuary' and 'Clouds' could have been made with hand-dyed fabrics and then machine quilted. Two pieces made in 1927, 'Pastorale' and 'Young Garden (Rhythms)' are asking to be hand stitched.
And then 'Necropolis', 'In the Current Six Thresholds', 'Steps' and 'Fire in the Evening', all produced in 1929, are works which would inspire pieced quilts in a rich but controlled colour palette.
The works which look almost stitched are those produced between 1931 and 1933, including 'Castle Garden', 'Memory of a Bird' , 'Lowlands', 'Polyphony' and 'Gaze of Silence'. In these pieces the brush strokes are highly resonant of hand stitching - lines of colour in thick paint (thread), similar to the techniques of Kantha stitching. Just beautiful.
This is a big show, with lots of room to see the artworks. It merits several visits and will be a source of inspiration for future work. Watch for upcoming posts!
The series of work done in 1921 - 'Fishes in the Deep', 'Aquarium', 'Pot Shapes, Transparent' and 'Red, Green Gradation' - struck me as if they could have easily have been executed in layers of sheer fabrics.
His 1926 works, 'Sacred Islands', 'View of a Mountain Sanctuary' and 'Clouds' could have been made with hand-dyed fabrics and then machine quilted. Two pieces made in 1927, 'Pastorale' and 'Young Garden (Rhythms)' are asking to be hand stitched.
And then 'Necropolis', 'In the Current Six Thresholds', 'Steps' and 'Fire in the Evening', all produced in 1929, are works which would inspire pieced quilts in a rich but controlled colour palette.
The works which look almost stitched are those produced between 1931 and 1933, including 'Castle Garden', 'Memory of a Bird' , 'Lowlands', 'Polyphony' and 'Gaze of Silence'. In these pieces the brush strokes are highly resonant of hand stitching - lines of colour in thick paint (thread), similar to the techniques of Kantha stitching. Just beautiful.
This is a big show, with lots of room to see the artworks. It merits several visits and will be a source of inspiration for future work. Watch for upcoming posts!