Wave of Change
About This Piece
Wave of Change
32” 48” 24”
Welded armature, zippers, silk, buttons, shells
Amazing water, it is made of millions of tiny water molecules that can float in the air, bend light into rainbows, gather in clouds, fall as rain, wash and feed our bodies, souls and all life on earth. These tiny molecules can also create a destructive force that can carve into mountains and wash away long standing structures and cultural icons within minutes. We are living in a time of fast paced change and Katsushika Hokusai’s painting, The Great Wave of Kanagawa, inspired me to create my own wave expressing my overwhelming feeling of unease at the pace of change in which we live.
"My fiber sculptures honor the integrity of traditional cloth in a contemporary setting, placing them in a 3 dimensional element." - Barbara Riegel Bend
As a fiber artist I am drawn to the rich heritage of cloth and the story it tells through its content, color, design, and cultural history. I work with fabrics that have their own integrity and voice. In my fiber sculptures I explore the interplay of cross cultural fabrics stitched side by side with a reconfiguration of contemporary ‘throw away items’ that in their new form share the pattern, color or texture but not the history. I look to these contemporary items, such as snaps, perm rollers, zippers, for their design elements and ability to attach and repeat thus creating a rhythmic pattern to sew on to these fiber sculptures.
My fiber sculpture forms are internally supported by welded scrap metal, fencing or electrical wire structures. The shape is built up by tightly wrapped strips of knit t-shirts. The result is a firm and sturdy sculpture that is self supporting with a solid form. My fiber sculptures flare out with movement to help express the energy of the moment expressed.
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