DO NOT MEND ME, ALLOW ME TO AGE.
Some musings on the first solo exhibit by our DEBUT artist Jordan St. James (who also happens to be my brother).
I felt it was important to open a textile art gallery in Old Montreal because the medium is not well represented in the city’s multitude of galleries, despite there being many talented textile artists working in and around Montreal. The other reason was a little more selfish, I happen to love being surrounded by textiles and textile art and if I’m going to sit in a space every day I want it to inspire me and make me smile, the same way it makes many visitors to the space smile - or even chuckle - as they enter. It doesn’t hurt that they’re being greeted by a big middle finger in the entrance.
The other reason I wanted to focus exclusively on textile art was succinctly summarized in this article in Frieze aptly titled The Artificial Divide Between Fine Art and Textiles is a Gendered Issue:
Artforms using textiles have existed for millennia but have not always been held in such high esteem in the art world. The artificial divide that exists between fine art and textiles (or applied/decorative arts, or craft) is a gendered issue. ‘Textiles have always suffered as an art media because of their association with domesticity and femininity,’ says Hannah Lamb of The 62 Group of Textile Artists, an artist-led pressure group that has been promoting textiles as a fine art for nearly 60 years. Historically, textiles have been labelled ‘women’s work’, and dismissed as inferior to pursuits such as painting and sculpture. But this has not always been the case.
Some visitors knew about the exhibit thanks to the artist’s husband Montreal Expert who posted about it on his well-loved account, others wander in after visiting our neighbours and friends MAKTABA next door, but most just stumble on the exhibit and generally express surprise, gratitude for the humorous commentary in the exhibit, and appreciation for showing an artform that is often overlooked by the art world. While the exhibit has only been up for less than a month, it seems to evoke similar reactions in people:
“What is this magical space?” (my favourite so far)
“Please tell the artist how much his work has inspired me.”
“Oh my god, so many quilts!”
So it seems Old Montreal wanted / needed a textile art gallery that also offers garment repairs and alterations and also hosts workshops - our first one is already sold out! - to teach these skills and also sells upcycled clothing and a curated selection of mending tools. I still haven’t found the best way to summarize this.
In the meantime, Jordan’s exhibit DEBUT will be up until mid October, so come see it and add to my growing list of favourite reactions.
