Tag Archives: string

A Sun of Thread: 84 Miles of String Suspended at MIA by HOT TEA

A Sun of Thread: 84 Miles of String Suspended at MIA by HOT TEA textiles sun string installation

Known mostly in for his graffiti-influenced string tags on the streets of Minneapolis, Eric Rieger aka HOT TEA (previously here and here), recently completed this massive installation at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Titled Letting Go, the piece uses 84 miles of colored string that forms the artist’s interpretation of the sun. In a statement about the work Rieger says:

At least once in our lives we have all had to let go of something we truly love. Whether it be a pet, personal object or in some cases, loved ones. This piece is my interpretation of the sun. The sun brings life and also represents happiness, warmth and energy. When letting go of something or someone we truly love, sometimes it is okay to celebrate their lives along with mourning. This piece represents the warmth and love I have received from those I have had to let go of.

Definitely check out the timelapse of the installation, the upside-down haircut at the end looks like it was a lot of fun. Letting Go will be on view through Septmeber 2 at MIA. Photographs courtesy Amanda Hankerson and Eric Rieger. (thnx, rob!)

Katie Lewis

Katie Lewis string installation infographics body

Conceptual artist Katie Lewis devises elaborate methods of recording data about herself, be it sensations felt by various body parts or other other aspects of life’s minutiae plotted over time using little more than pins, thread and pencil marked dates. The artworks themselves are abstracted from their actual purpose, and only the organic forms representing the accumulation data over time are left. She describes her process as being extremely rigid, involving the creation of strict rules on how data is collected, documented, and eventually transformed into these pseudo-scientific installations.

The work is often organized into grid-like charts and diagrams mimicking science and medicine’s representations of the body as a specimen, visualy displayed for the purpose of gaining knowledge. In this way I create distance from the information and objectify the experience, giving a false sense that the body is accessible and easily understood.

Check out her portfolio for many more examples of her work. (via sojamo)

By Christopher on July 26, 2011 • body infographics installation string

Molly Strohl

Photographer Molly Strohl has dozens of amazing self-portraits over on Flickr, but these two really caught my attention. Haunting and beautiful work.

By Christopher on June 28, 2011 • fashion portraits string

Free

A great typographical string installation by Sean Martindale. (via rebel art)

By Christopher on June 19, 2011 • installation street art string typography

Plexus 5 by Gabriel Dawe

The latest thread installation from artist Gabriel Dawe (previously) is on display through the end of this weekend at the Pump Project Art Complex as part of the Texas Biennial in Austin.

By Christopher on May 19, 2011 • chromatic colors installation string

Anne Lindberg

Anne Lindberg string installation colors

A 2010 installation by artist Anne Lindberg shown at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas. Lindberg used thousands of strands of Egyptian cotton thread suspended between staples to create this glowing, atmospheric space. See a video of the installation here. (via designspiration)

By Christopher on May 13, 2011 • colors installation string

Local man accepts challenge of art blog to build map of the Chicago ‘L’ transit system with string

Local man accepts challenge of art blog to build map of the Chicago L transit system with string string public transportation Chicago

In less than 24 hours from posting this London Underground transit map made from string, and commenting about a Chicago-centric version, I received the above photo in an email from my friend Tim Simons. When I mentioned “now go make something awesome” on the About page of this site, I never thought somebody would actually take it to heart. Bravo Tim, it looks awesome.

If you’re in LA you can see Tim in his show ManCamp at the Improv Space, or you can catch him in the upcoming comedy series Veep which was just picked up by a little network called HBO. He also plays a great Abraham Lincoln. Is there anything this man can’t do? And what strategically placed artwork he hangs on his wall.