Crafting quilts dates back to the seventeenth century and the art of quilting, which was championed by enslaved females, became a way to preserve Black History, culture, and oral storytelling. Yvonne Wells, an African-American folk artist and quilter hailing from Tuscaloosa, Alabama is known for her beautifully crafted narrative quilts which tell stories of US history, cultural icons, and religious subject matter. A self-taught artist, Ms. Wells weaves heritage techniques in her work, yet “she embraces an intuitive approach, sewing together fragments of fabric by hand into the compositions she envisions in her mind.” As the artist has remarked, “the materials I use have their own stories and histories… the quilts talk to me, and I listen.” Ms. Wells’ fascinatingly crafted works speak to us all and you can catch the exhibit “Play The Hand That’s Dealt You” at The Fort Gansevoort Gallery until August 12th.
“The Apple” by Stephan Weiss
At the heart of Hudson River Park’s Apple Garden, sits “The Apple”, a nine feet tall, three ton ode to the city where visitors can sit upon the circular bench at its base and enjoy the pleasant views of the Hudson River. “The Apple” was designed by artist Stephan Weiss, a New York native and the late husband of renowned fashion designer Donna Karan. While Mr. Weiss played a large role in launching and running his wife’s famous fashion label, he never stepped away from his art. He spent much of his time working on his sculptures and abstract paintings in his art studio on Greenwich Street in the West Village. As part of Mr. Weiss’ Larger than Life series, “The Apple” honors our beloved New York City and symbolizes both the city’s heart and the core of life. Mr. Weiss’ structure truly brings to life what it means to live in “The Big Apple.”
“Havah…to breathe, air, life” by Shahzia Sikander
As we kick off Women’s History Month, we could not be more excited about Shahzia Sikander’s outdoor multimedia installation “Havah...to breathe, air, life,” whose sculptures centered around themes of women and justice, a theme akin to our own ethos, are currently gracing Madison Square Park and atop the Courthouse of the First Department of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. A “citizen of the world”, Ms. Sikander who hails from Pakistan and lives in New York City received the prestigious United States Medal of Arts in 2012 and has been acknowledged for renewing interest in the Indo-Persian miniature form and revolutionizing the feminist neo-miniature movement worldwide.
“Havah…to breathe, air, life” consists of two sculptures of women; Witness, which sits at the entrance of Madison Square Park and 25th Street, and NOW, which is perched atop the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court and is the first female figure to be installed there. With her limbs as tree roots, her hair braided and coiled like a ram’s horn, her head held high and eyes wide open, Sikander’s golden women sculptures encompass symbols of power, strength, durability, and femininity. Whereas “Justice” throughout history has been symbolized as a woman, blindfolded, and holding scales, Sikander’s allegorical women suggest a new vision of woman and power in the justice system. Complete with a decorative jabot at the neckline, a nod to the lace collar worn by the late, trailblazing United States Supreme Court associate justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Witness and NOW remind us to “reverse stereotypes about gender, race, immigrants, and the unfamiliar” as noted by the artist.