Tuesday, January 27, 2009

CYBER FYBER....The Future!


CYBER FYBER was a tremendous success. I've decided to mount CYBER FYBER 2! The exhibition is scheduled from January 7 - 19, 2010 at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios.

IT WILL NOT BE THE SAME!

There is no possible way that I could force myself to do the same thing. CYBER FYBER 2 must be an evolution of the ideas, connections, and concepts from this year. It will still focus on the supportive, global community of fiber artist using the Internet for inspiration and conectivity. I would like the main gallery to feature an international juried exhibit. To this end, I'm already seeking sponsors for significant awards and will be learning about securing quality jurors. I would like to include fiber postcards too....but not traded ones. I would also like to create an installation.

Below are some of my thoughts. I've written this as an email to a close cyber friend and am now sharing these ideas. I want feedback.....ideas, suggestions, new concepts, and comments....basically BRAINSTORMING!

From my recent email:

The main gallery during CYBER FYBER was devoted to the work of the invitational artists. As you know, I selected artists who represented a unique benefit to the Internet world of fiber arts. This was great. The signage included all the reasons for each person's inclusion. I think everyone who walked through the gallery "got it". Next year, however, I'd like the main gallery to evolve into a juried exhibit....the "best of the best" sort of thing. Having submitted for such exhibits, I'm familiar with how this should operate. I'm also aware that in order to attract truly high quality artists, I need substantial prizes and really qualified jurors. This will take MONEY. I'm thinking $1500 for first place; $1000 for second; and $500 for third. There will have to be a few $100 honorable mentions. I'm not sure how much jurors cost but I'm hoping $500 each....for 2 jurors.

Unlike the Pfaff Embroidery challenge that always has a theme, this would not have a theme. The only requirements would be: mostly fiber and each artist would have to have an Internet presence....a blog, website, Flickr!, Stitchin Fingers, active profile, etc....somewhere the public can leave a comment for each artists. Afterall, CYBER FYBER and CYBER FYBER 2 are about the Internet connected community. Each person has to be a "member" of this on-line, supportive, global network. I know that juried shows like this are a bit elitist. I know this means that some people will pay an entry fee and recieve a rejection. I know this because I've opened plenty of rejections myself!

I also know that the fiber postcards were undoubtedly the most popular part of CYBER FYBER for those in the supportive, online community. I know that CYBER FYBER 2 will have to have postcards. But, I'm not about to make hundreds of postcards again this year. For me, that part has to be over! Right now I've got this enormous collection. I hope to donate it for some good purpose but in the meantime I don't need to be adding to this collection! Personally, it was fun making the first round of postcards...but I don't find it fun anymore.

What do you think of this idea: Fiber artists who want to be involved in CYBER FYBER 2 simply send a postcard. They temporarily become my personal property. Each postcard must be from someone in the cyber community. Each one will be hung in the gallery. There will be another on-line PEOPLE'S CHOICE award. There will be another BEST OF SHOW jurying. However, I want to partner with a museum....a GOOD museum....high profile place that already has a connection with fibers. This museum would end up with the postcards.....accepting at least 20 into the permanent collection. The remainder could be sold in their gift shop, used in some sort of charity event, etc.

Do you think that stitchers would participate? I just don't know if people were more interested in trading with me personally, being part of an exhibit, or what. Do you think people would send great postcards just to be in a gallery exhibition, an on-line exhibition, and with the possibility of getting their postcard into a museum.....or do you think they really want something in exchange?

I think the ATCs will evolve into a second International Random trade....but not be part of the exhibition or the on-line exhibition.

I also think that I'd like Maggie Grey's concept to evolve into an installation. Maggie Grey asked the world for comments on her blog and then used the text to create the works she made for CYBER FYBER. I'd like to suggest that fiber artists send me scraps and threads as a gesture of our common stitches and sense of community. I would document whatever I receive and promise to use all the materials in the creation of an installation. The scraps and threads would have to be all fiber but could include any writing, message, stitch about the Internet connected community and/or indications of that part of the physical world from which the material came. The installation's working title could be "Stitched Earth" or "Global Threads" or "The World Wide Web in Thread" or some such thing that addresses both the Internet community and fiber all at once....an evolution of the original concepts....and something totally new and wonderful for me to do!

Well....there it is....my brainstorming. Let me know what you think.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

New Video!

ATC Day Video, including International Random Swap and People's Choice Awards, click HERE!

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS


(Click on image above to enlarge. Mimi Renne Sainte-Laudy's winning postcard being presented by her sister Georgette Zissel and her daughter-in-law Debi Combis of Charlotte, North Carolina! It was so very exciting to have them present for the announcement!)

Today the on-line votes and the physical, paper votes from Gallery 80808/Vista Studios were added together. The winners were determined! The announcement was made! Here it is:

PEOPLE'S CHOICE POSTCARD
POSTCARD 231
Mimi Renne Sainte-Laudy
http://mimi837.oldiblog.com/
FRANCE

PEOPLE'S CHOICE ATC
ATC 134
Leslie Casey
http://stitchinfingers.ning.com/profile/Leslie44
Malawi, AFRICA

CONGRATULATIONS!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

CYBER FYBER GETS A REVIEW!

The following review just appeared in this week's edition of the local, Columbia weekly publication, The Free Times.

Exhibit Shows Internet’s Impact on Art World
A review of Cyber Fyber, on view at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios through Jan. 20.
BY
MARY BENTZ GILKERSON

Alree Barr, Cache (detail)

Cyber Fyber is not your average gallery exhibition. It is the culmination of a monumental, yearlong project developed by Columbia-area fiber artist Susan Lenz. The project was inspired by the sense of community she developed with other fiber artists around the world through her blogging experiences.


The Internet is a vast web of resources that is very attractive for visual artists in particular. Most artists use it to market their work through web sites and online galleries. But many others are taking advantage of the social and professional networking opportunities not only to market their work, but also to create ties with other artists throughout the world. Some limit themselves to the main social networks like MySpace and Facebook; others use using free blogging sites to create their own networks.

Lenz has done all of the above: She has 12 blogs associated with the Cyber Fyber exhibit alone.



The quality of the artwork is high, but the most important thing about the exhibit is the process Lenz used to put it together. It is a manifestation of the paradigm shift in the art world resulting from artists making full use of the Internet to control their own careers.

Art entrepreneurs like Lenz are going beyond simply organizing their own local exhibitions to building national and international networks that they can use for both marketing and professional support. Lenz was able to curate a truly international fiber arts exhibition purely from the contacts that she made via her blog, an unthinkable feat 10 years ago. The show includes work by artists from more than 26 countries including Australia, England, Germany and Canada, as well as the United States.

Cyber Fyber has two components: 400-plus fiber cards that Lenz traded with other artists, and larger works by 17 artists in an invitational section.

Some of the small cards are little gems, but the main impact of this section comes from the sheer visual weight of so many pieces. The grid pattern that was used to hang the pieces makes this section read as one large quilt.

The invitational section has some more traditional work, but most of the work could stand on its own in any contemporary art setting. Cyber Fyber is a four-panel book piece by Jacqueline de Jong of the Netherlands. Accordion folds allow the work to stand on its own on the pedestal where the viewer can see both the front and the back of the panels. She uses a range of dark earth tones in her richly textured abstracts.

Fulvia Boriani Luciano, from South Carolina, also works with abstract forms and shapes. She creates quilted hanging pieces in various grid formats, exploring subtle color relationships.

Penny Sisto of Indiana also makes quilted wall pieces, but she uses representational imagery to create narratives that deal very openly with social commentary. Strange Fruit VI is dominated by a large female figure, her mouth open in a scream or cry. To her right, six male figures swing in the branches of a tree.

The range of work in both sections gives an overview of the broad range of styles and content being addressed by contemporary fiber artists. The invitational has allowed Lenz to go deep with the work of the 17 selected artists.

The exhibit showcases the potential of the Internet to change the reigning dealer/artist art-world paradigm. The role of the middleman, i.e. the dealer, hasn’t been eliminated — yet — but that role is definitely shifting.

Cyber Fyber will be on view through Jan. 20. A variety of related activities are taking place in conjunction with the exhibit. Visit the main Cyber Fyber blog at
cyberfyberexhibition.blogspot.com for more information.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Daily Gamecock

The Daily Gamecock

Above is a link to the University of South Carolina's Daily Gamecock newspaper where the talented Ellen Meder, Assistant Mix Editor, wrote an article on CYBER FYBER complete with an on-line slide presentation. In order to preserve this information and the images, I've posted it on the CYBER FYBER journal here.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Reception Video!

I've complete the CYBER FYBER reception video! All the images are from that wonderful evening...January 9, 2009 at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios, 808 Lady Street in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. Every moving clip and still photo was shot by either my fabulous mother, Linda Lenz (Postcard # 14), or my incredible youngest sister Sonya Lenz. Please enjoy!

CYBER FYBER EXHIBITION

Click here to access the exhibition video!

CYBER FYBER at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios
808 Lady Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 252-6134

OPEN DAILY, Sunday - Saturday, 11 AM to 5 PM
THROUGH Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Saturday, January 17 is ATC (Artist Trading Card) Day from 1 - 4. The International Random ATC Swap will be held starting at 2:30 PM. On-line comments/votes for PEOPLE'S CHOICE Awards will be counted and winners will be determined! To vote, leave a comment on your favorite ATC and postcard in the CYBER FYBER on-line exhibitions. Postcards are here. ATCs are here.

Friday, January 9, 2009

WINNERS

Last Monday, January 5, 2009 Ellen Kochansky juried the CYBER FYBER traded fiber ATCs and fiber Postcards. Ellen is an internationally renown fiber artist from Pickens, South Carolina currently in the midst of a textile installation residency at 701 Columbia Center for the Arts. Jurying so much talent took two hours. The winners and several honorable mentions are awarded. A video of Ellen's announcement with her comments is here. Below is the list of winners:

BEST OF SHOW POSTCARD
Hope Clinchot
Viriginia, USA
Postcard # 101

Honorable Mention Postcards
(Random Order)

Diane Mularz
Viriginia, USA
Postcard # 83

Fulvia Boriani Luciano
South Carolina, USA
Postcard # 48

Jocelyn Goodger
NEW ZEALAND
Postcard # 127

Sara Lechner
AUSTRIA
Postcard 167

Patty Van Huis-Cox
Illinois, USA
Postcard # 240

Gail VandenBout
North Carolina, USA
Postcard # 274

BEST OF SHOW ATC
Silvia Gardiol
ITALY
ATC # 141

Honorable Mention ATCs
(Random Order)

Fannie Narte
Texas, USA
ATC # 110

Suzanne Clarke
AUSTRALIA
ATC # 66

Maureen Cross
United Kingdom
ATC # 152

Neki Desu
SPAIN
ATC # 92

Shirley Hayes
Maryland, USA
ATC # 20