The Unveiling: My Merkin.
Here is the press release for the "Intimate Apparel" group show in Kansas City:
PRESS RELEASE
Release Date: EMBARGO until May 15, 2007
Gallery Contact: Jody Wilkins Curator Contact: Linda Gass
816-210-6534 or 650-948-1752
The Intimate Apparel Exhibit: Reviving an undercover cover-up
“Intimate Apparel” is an unusual and provocative exhibit of artists’ merkins on view June 1 – 30, 2007 at the Pi Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri. Curator Linda Gass invited 23 artists from around the world to participate and the resulting collection of 37 works is wildly diverse and inspired.
“What is a merkin?” you might ask. Few speakers of the English language know the meaning of the word. Dictionaries vary on the definition however most agree that it's a pubic wig. The authoritative Oxford English Dictionary defines it as "an artificial covering of hair for the female pubic region; a pubic wig for women."
The origin of the merkin goes back many centuries to a time when pubic lice were a common problem and women had to shave their pubic area to eradicate the lice and relieve the itching. Someone then invented merkins to replace the shaved hair. Prostitutes were frequent wearers of merkins as well, using them to cover up the marks of syphilis and genital warts so they could appear to be disease-free and therefore still employable. As hygiene improved and drugs were developed, the need for merkins disappeared.
When asked why she wanted to create this exhibit, curator Linda Gass replied “I thought it would be fun and fascinating to use this obscure historical object as a format for making art. It seemed like there were so many possibilities for expression and I wanted to see what this group of talented artists could do. The works they have created have exceeded my expectations.”
The invited artists are innovators in their respective fields – some are inventors of key surface design techniques and others have significantly expanded on traditional techniques. A common characteristic in all of the artists is their willingness to take risks. They have created a collection of visually exciting pieces utilizing weaving, embroidery, crochet, quilting, fusing, felting, silkscreening, monoprinting, marbling, beading, bookmaking, basketry, painting, casting, burning, and mixed media assemblage.
The artists explore a wide range of issues in the artwork for this exhibition. Although the original function of the merkin was to replace something “lost” in an area of the body we often consider very private and vulnerable, the artists have gone far beyond these beginnings. The artworks address sexuality, fertility, shame, self-esteem, danger, power struggles and domination, flirtation and seduction, voyeurism, pleasure, and the stages of our lives. Many of the artists use humor in their work - some directly through use of illustrative graphics, others more subtly through their choice of materials or title.
The artists’ merkins are made from diverse and sometime surprising materials. In addition to fabrics such as velvet, silk, cotton and lace, the artists have used beads, sequins, human hair, X-acto blades, silicone fishing bait, bobby pins, pine cone scales, chrysanthemum stamens, lichen collected from the Black Forest in Germany, seaweed, glass eyes, fish skin, vintage keys, match sticks, mirrors, aluminum, copper wire, rusted metal washers, and plastic and glass fruit. One of the merkins will literally come to life during the exhibit: it is made of moss and seeds and visitors to the gallery will be able to interact with the merkin by misting it with water to help it grow.
The exhibit is part of a group of exhibitions on view in conjunction with the 14th International Surface Design Conference at the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. Before being matched with a gallery, the exhibit proposal went through a rigorous review process and was selected as a finalist by the Conference Committee. Pi Gallery founder and director, Jody Wilkins, said she selected “Intimate Apparel” from the finalists for her gallery because she “thought it would be a fun exhibit” and she “liked the idea of having different artists at different stages in their careers showing work on a common theme.”
Pi Gallery was founded in 2004 by Jody Wilkins with the intent to create a comfortable space for people to view and appreciate the works of both emerging and established artists. Shows feature a broad range of styles, content and media. The gallery is located at 419 E. 18th Street on the east side of the Crossroads Art District, Kansas City, MO. The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday 11 am – 5 pm, the first Friday of the month 6-9 pm, and by appointment. For more information, please visit the gallery’s website at www.piartgallery.com, phone 816-210-6534 or email piart@sbcglobal.net.
For more information about the exhibit, please visit the exhibit website at www.lindagass.com/IntimateApparel or contact curator, Linda Gass at 650-948-1752.
"Gatekeeper Merkin", 2006, 5.5 x 5.5 x 3", acrylic, cut laminated wood, found plastic parts, felt
Here is the press release for the "Intimate Apparel" group show in Kansas City:
PRESS RELEASE
Release Date: EMBARGO until May 15, 2007
Gallery Contact: Jody Wilkins Curator Contact: Linda Gass
816-210-6534 or 650-948-1752
The Intimate Apparel Exhibit: Reviving an undercover cover-up
“Intimate Apparel” is an unusual and provocative exhibit of artists’ merkins on view June 1 – 30, 2007 at the Pi Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri. Curator Linda Gass invited 23 artists from around the world to participate and the resulting collection of 37 works is wildly diverse and inspired.
“What is a merkin?” you might ask. Few speakers of the English language know the meaning of the word. Dictionaries vary on the definition however most agree that it's a pubic wig. The authoritative Oxford English Dictionary defines it as "an artificial covering of hair for the female pubic region; a pubic wig for women."
The origin of the merkin goes back many centuries to a time when pubic lice were a common problem and women had to shave their pubic area to eradicate the lice and relieve the itching. Someone then invented merkins to replace the shaved hair. Prostitutes were frequent wearers of merkins as well, using them to cover up the marks of syphilis and genital warts so they could appear to be disease-free and therefore still employable. As hygiene improved and drugs were developed, the need for merkins disappeared.
When asked why she wanted to create this exhibit, curator Linda Gass replied “I thought it would be fun and fascinating to use this obscure historical object as a format for making art. It seemed like there were so many possibilities for expression and I wanted to see what this group of talented artists could do. The works they have created have exceeded my expectations.”
The invited artists are innovators in their respective fields – some are inventors of key surface design techniques and others have significantly expanded on traditional techniques. A common characteristic in all of the artists is their willingness to take risks. They have created a collection of visually exciting pieces utilizing weaving, embroidery, crochet, quilting, fusing, felting, silkscreening, monoprinting, marbling, beading, bookmaking, basketry, painting, casting, burning, and mixed media assemblage.
The artists explore a wide range of issues in the artwork for this exhibition. Although the original function of the merkin was to replace something “lost” in an area of the body we often consider very private and vulnerable, the artists have gone far beyond these beginnings. The artworks address sexuality, fertility, shame, self-esteem, danger, power struggles and domination, flirtation and seduction, voyeurism, pleasure, and the stages of our lives. Many of the artists use humor in their work - some directly through use of illustrative graphics, others more subtly through their choice of materials or title.
The artists’ merkins are made from diverse and sometime surprising materials. In addition to fabrics such as velvet, silk, cotton and lace, the artists have used beads, sequins, human hair, X-acto blades, silicone fishing bait, bobby pins, pine cone scales, chrysanthemum stamens, lichen collected from the Black Forest in Germany, seaweed, glass eyes, fish skin, vintage keys, match sticks, mirrors, aluminum, copper wire, rusted metal washers, and plastic and glass fruit. One of the merkins will literally come to life during the exhibit: it is made of moss and seeds and visitors to the gallery will be able to interact with the merkin by misting it with water to help it grow.
The exhibit is part of a group of exhibitions on view in conjunction with the 14th International Surface Design Conference at the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. Before being matched with a gallery, the exhibit proposal went through a rigorous review process and was selected as a finalist by the Conference Committee. Pi Gallery founder and director, Jody Wilkins, said she selected “Intimate Apparel” from the finalists for her gallery because she “thought it would be a fun exhibit” and she “liked the idea of having different artists at different stages in their careers showing work on a common theme.”
Pi Gallery was founded in 2004 by Jody Wilkins with the intent to create a comfortable space for people to view and appreciate the works of both emerging and established artists. Shows feature a broad range of styles, content and media. The gallery is located at 419 E. 18th Street on the east side of the Crossroads Art District, Kansas City, MO. The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday 11 am – 5 pm, the first Friday of the month 6-9 pm, and by appointment. For more information, please visit the gallery’s website at www.piartgallery.com, phone 816-210-6534 or email piart@sbcglobal.net.
For more information about the exhibit, please visit the exhibit website at www.lindagass.com/IntimateApparel or contact curator, Linda Gass at 650-948-1752.
"Gatekeeper Merkin", 2006, 5.5 x 5.5 x 3", acrylic, cut laminated wood, found plastic parts, felt
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