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labricoleuseThis past Saturday, i had the opportunity to visit the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, TN, which is (according to their press info) the only museum in the US "devoted to the preservation and promotion of fine metalwork."
A friend and i toured their two exhibition spaces, sculpture gardens, and working smithy--i wasn't able to take photos in the galleries, but i did get some shots in the gardens and smithy to share (further down the post).
The current exhibit in the main gallery is "The New Steel v2," an expanded and updated version of a previous, smaller show featuring contemporary work in the medium of steel. The show features everything from furniture and architectural installations (like doors and fencework) to wearable art, sculpture, and fine jewelry set with precious stones. The exhibit had several standout pieces, such as a glass "reliquary" with a metal tree growing from it, and a huge watering can/teapot shape made from riveted "Free AOL CD" cases cut into ornametal shapes. A kinetic donation-taking robot sculpture was located near the gift shop, a squat kettle on legs with a lever which, when pulled, extended a little brass dish, like a beggar; we put in all kinds of money just for the fun of operating the little guy.
My main criticism of the steel exhibit was the relatively slipshod display methods. Several pieces were displayed in glassed-in alcoves, poorly lit and with no rear mirrors to allow access to the rear views of the works. The necklace featured on the website ("Preciousness Necklace" by Sharon Massey) was in a box just hanging from a central hook, which gave no hint as to how it would look which actually worn--something i feel is of integral import when viewing wearables.
One exhibit was missing with no note as to why--since its empty space was displayed uncovered and unsecured next to another piece by the same artist, a scrollwork steel posture collar with a hasp, we wondered whether someone had just stolen it right off the wall. My friend mentioned it to the guy in the gift shop; he told us that someone had knocked it off the wall and damaged it the day before. Wonder how the artist felt about that? :/
The museum also has a library of works on metalsmithy, not just books but also catalogues, videos, periodicals, diagrams, etc., all of which are housed on its upper floor. In the library's first floor, there's a second exhibit, Michael Dale Bernard's "Tributaries." Bernard takes iconographic industrial imagery (think airplane evacuation card illustrations, and you've got the gist of the style) and superimposes them over baroque swirls and vines...all cut from bright enameled metal and riveted together to make wearable brooches. I'm normally not a fan of that sort of postmodern collage work, but these were unusually compelling and fun, and reminded me of the kind of imagery and design sensibility found in the work of Bethany Shorb of Cyberoptix.
Between the main gallery and the library lies the sculpture garden, which i was able to photograph. I'm ashamed to say that i neglected to record the names of all the artists whose work i photographed. Lame, lame. If anyone recognizes any of the pieces, please let me know! I need to make sure i always have a notepad with me in future.
Richard Quinnell's Anniversary Gates
with medallions contributed by over 180 metal artists worldwide
Corn motif fence section
Entombed-man fountain
Interior of their pavillion, assembled from historic castings,
with a view of the Mississippi River
Bridge sculpture
Bench of salvage
Schering-Plough Smithy exterior
Machinery inside the smithy
Streetlamp from the 1930s
Ornamental gate on the grounds
(Note questionable choice of naked blacksmithing.)
Nautical-motif sign on grounds
In the smithy, we spoke briefly with resident artist Mary Catherine Floyd, but in a twist of coincidence, she popped up later that evening at the Hi-Tone to see John Paul Keith and the 145s play a show. (I cannot go to Memphis without seeing live music at least once.)
Floyd has a lot of fascinating crossover art inspirations--she's got a degree in fiber arts, and is currently exploring the rendering of fabric forms in metal, making metal garment shapes and enameling print patterns onto them. We talked a bit about collaborative creation between an artisan-artist working in a wearable medium and a performance artist; she had some great ideas about doing metal tutus, in tandem with a ballerina/choreographer creating a dance for them!
That's one thing i would say, in general, about the museum--talk to the artisans. At the smithy, i didn't talk to any of them beyond a greeting, because i didn't want to disturb their work. However, i'm so glad i did run into Mary Catherine Floyd at the Hi-Tone, because our discussion became a memorable part of the whole 'ornamental metal focus' experience attached to the museum.
Oh, and why, you might ask, did i even find myself in Memphis last weekend? It's a long story, i guess, but the quick answer is, i've got some millinery-influenced sculptures in an upcoming art exhibit in Knoxville, TN, and some time between when i needed to drop off the artwork (last Friday) and the opening of the exhibit (this Sunday), so i'm traveling around Tennessee in the interim.
While in Memphis, i also went to the Stax Museum in Soulville, which is quite possibly the best museum in Memphis, period. It's not terribly topical for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
labricoleuse, but man, i cannot gush enough about what a great museum it is. Though i will say, on-topic, they have some fine stage costumes on display (highlights: a jacket with a 24" tall embroidered portrait of Isaac Hayes on the back, a black velvet suit with green metallic pinstripes, and two pairs of custom-made stage loafers with cast lucite lift heels), in addition to all the amazing music, video, and photography. And they aren't kidding when they say that you WILL dance through the museum.
But anyhow, i need to check out of my hotel and hit the road (today i'm going to visit some mask artisans on the Cherokee reservation in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park). More later, y'all!
A friend and i toured their two exhibition spaces, sculpture gardens, and working smithy--i wasn't able to take photos in the galleries, but i did get some shots in the gardens and smithy to share (further down the post).
The current exhibit in the main gallery is "The New Steel v2," an expanded and updated version of a previous, smaller show featuring contemporary work in the medium of steel. The show features everything from furniture and architectural installations (like doors and fencework) to wearable art, sculpture, and fine jewelry set with precious stones. The exhibit had several standout pieces, such as a glass "reliquary" with a metal tree growing from it, and a huge watering can/teapot shape made from riveted "Free AOL CD" cases cut into ornametal shapes. A kinetic donation-taking robot sculpture was located near the gift shop, a squat kettle on legs with a lever which, when pulled, extended a little brass dish, like a beggar; we put in all kinds of money just for the fun of operating the little guy.
My main criticism of the steel exhibit was the relatively slipshod display methods. Several pieces were displayed in glassed-in alcoves, poorly lit and with no rear mirrors to allow access to the rear views of the works. The necklace featured on the website ("Preciousness Necklace" by Sharon Massey) was in a box just hanging from a central hook, which gave no hint as to how it would look which actually worn--something i feel is of integral import when viewing wearables.
One exhibit was missing with no note as to why--since its empty space was displayed uncovered and unsecured next to another piece by the same artist, a scrollwork steel posture collar with a hasp, we wondered whether someone had just stolen it right off the wall. My friend mentioned it to the guy in the gift shop; he told us that someone had knocked it off the wall and damaged it the day before. Wonder how the artist felt about that? :/
The museum also has a library of works on metalsmithy, not just books but also catalogues, videos, periodicals, diagrams, etc., all of which are housed on its upper floor. In the library's first floor, there's a second exhibit, Michael Dale Bernard's "Tributaries." Bernard takes iconographic industrial imagery (think airplane evacuation card illustrations, and you've got the gist of the style) and superimposes them over baroque swirls and vines...all cut from bright enameled metal and riveted together to make wearable brooches. I'm normally not a fan of that sort of postmodern collage work, but these were unusually compelling and fun, and reminded me of the kind of imagery and design sensibility found in the work of Bethany Shorb of Cyberoptix.
Between the main gallery and the library lies the sculpture garden, which i was able to photograph. I'm ashamed to say that i neglected to record the names of all the artists whose work i photographed. Lame, lame. If anyone recognizes any of the pieces, please let me know! I need to make sure i always have a notepad with me in future.
Richard Quinnell's Anniversary Gates
with medallions contributed by over 180 metal artists worldwide
Corn motif fence section
Entombed-man fountain
Interior of their pavillion, assembled from historic castings,
with a view of the Mississippi River
Bridge sculpture
Bench of salvage
Schering-Plough Smithy exterior
Machinery inside the smithy
Streetlamp from the 1930s
Ornamental gate on the grounds
(Note questionable choice of naked blacksmithing.)
Nautical-motif sign on grounds
In the smithy, we spoke briefly with resident artist Mary Catherine Floyd, but in a twist of coincidence, she popped up later that evening at the Hi-Tone to see John Paul Keith and the 145s play a show. (I cannot go to Memphis without seeing live music at least once.)
Floyd has a lot of fascinating crossover art inspirations--she's got a degree in fiber arts, and is currently exploring the rendering of fabric forms in metal, making metal garment shapes and enameling print patterns onto them. We talked a bit about collaborative creation between an artisan-artist working in a wearable medium and a performance artist; she had some great ideas about doing metal tutus, in tandem with a ballerina/choreographer creating a dance for them!
That's one thing i would say, in general, about the museum--talk to the artisans. At the smithy, i didn't talk to any of them beyond a greeting, because i didn't want to disturb their work. However, i'm so glad i did run into Mary Catherine Floyd at the Hi-Tone, because our discussion became a memorable part of the whole 'ornamental metal focus' experience attached to the museum.
Oh, and why, you might ask, did i even find myself in Memphis last weekend? It's a long story, i guess, but the quick answer is, i've got some millinery-influenced sculptures in an upcoming art exhibit in Knoxville, TN, and some time between when i needed to drop off the artwork (last Friday) and the opening of the exhibit (this Sunday), so i'm traveling around Tennessee in the interim.
While in Memphis, i also went to the Stax Museum in Soulville, which is quite possibly the best museum in Memphis, period. It's not terribly topical for
labricoleuse, but man, i cannot gush enough about what a great museum it is. Though i will say, on-topic, they have some fine stage costumes on display (highlights: a jacket with a 24" tall embroidered portrait of Isaac Hayes on the back, a black velvet suit with green metallic pinstripes, and two pairs of custom-made stage loafers with cast lucite lift heels), in addition to all the amazing music, video, and photography. And they aren't kidding when they say that you WILL dance through the museum. But anyhow, i need to check out of my hotel and hit the road (today i'm going to visit some mask artisans on the Cherokee reservation in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park). More later, y'all!
