February 1, 2017 - February 28, 2017
The colorful, humorous, and hopeful fabric works of New Orleans artist Chris Roberts-Antieau are coming to the Telluride Arts District for Mardi Gras season. The fabric appliqué and embroidery masterpieces will be hosted at Gallery 81435 from January 28th to February 28th, 2017, with an opening reception Thursday, Feb. 2, 5-8 pm and a closing reception Tuesday, Feb. 28, 5-8 pm.
Chris Roberts-Antieau is a self-taught pioneer of machine embroidery. Her main body of work, which she calls “fabric paintings,” are highly sophisticated tapestries created in her signature style of fabric appliqué and intricate embroidery, crafted on a simple Bernina sewing machine. Antieau’s subject matter ranges from joyfully candid cultural commentary depicting unbelievable true stories (such as James Brown’s Funeral: And The Tragic Aftermath) to more personal reflections on nature, perception, reality and truth. Antieau further explores her interests through sculpture and installation, creating elaborate dollhouses of famous murder scenes and elegant gowns embroidered with birds of prey eviscerating small animals.
For her show at Gallery 81435, Antieau will offer visions of an unstable reality: “I am fascinated by the mind's ability to create individual perception,” says Antieau, “and by the self-constructed belief system that creates that perception. We are what we believe we are. We see what we believe we see. We “know” what we believe we know. My work is a chance for me to stretch these boundaries, to explore things like dreams, intuition, natural phenomena, the afterlife, and unbelievable true events - themes that will run through my show, Ad Lucem.”
With a similar penchant for the surreal and for questioning our perceptions, jeweler Betsy Youngquist will be showing her work alongside Antieau’s. Small and large eyes are the motif and centerpiece of everything from her pendants to her broaches. They lend the wearer an additional lens for seeing and being seen.
The show runs thru February 2016 at Gallery 81435, located at 230 S Fir Street in Telluride, Colorado. Open daily from 12-6pm or by appointment.
