Described in Virginia Jacobs own words, the quilted sphere is “a distillation of the continuity and indefatigability of the spirit of folk music, dance and costume.”
"Krakow Kabuki Waltz" (1987)
Virginia Jacobs is best known for exploring the sculptural possibilities of the quilt while incorporating the colorful exuberance of the textile arts of many cultures into her work. By playing with form and dimensionality, her work confounds expectations.
The Portuguese artist, well known for her use of varying fiber art techniques to create works of woven sculptural art that draw attention to the need to save our oceans, did not start her journey on this path.
While she began her academic career set on going into the fashion industry, she quickly realized that the trade is one of the biggest polluters in the world and altered course. Now, using upcycled materials and waste from the textile industry, she aims to bring awareness to problems of imbalance in our world.
The works have expanded from the coral reef scenes she began with, and now encompass many textures and environments – you can feel deeply connected with the details of nature she recreates; be it underwater, in the forest, a field of flowers, the lunar landscape, or beyond. Using the most eco-friendly materials and processes available, Vanessa creates to call attention to the importance of our universe, our planet, our home.
*All images copyright Vanessa Barragão
Featured in his solo show in Rome (2020), also titled Soprattutto, Leandro Erlich plays with perception and scale to bring us "above all" as stated in the title. Visitors to this installation were encouraged to walk upon the landscape carpet, bringing the viewer above the ground level perspective, and seen from above as if in an airplane.
Other works from this installation included sculptures of clouds contained in cabinets, and photo prints which explore the ever changing imagery found in the clouds above cities, as they float "above all" (sopra tutto).
Leandro Erlich is an Argentinian artist whose work is aimed at creating a dialogue between what we believe and what we see, as well as reducing the distance between the museum or gallery space and everyday experience.
