Judith writes:
Castaways: Art from the Material World at the Bateman Foundation Centre in Victoria BC, in the historic Steamship Terminal, March 6- June 5, will cast into the forefront, issues about the fashion industry and its environmental impact on oceans and climate change. The Centre houses the definitive collection of Bateman's works, and has a dynamic program of public events to encourage dialogue about humanity's relationship to the natural world. Bateman uses the sale of his artwork and limited edition prints to fund many naturalist and conservation causes.
Many thanks to Vivienne Challendes for having the big vision of the concept and for curating this exhibit that features twenty women textile artists from Canada and the Americas. Many thanks to the staff and team at the Bateman who provided the gallery space and helped to facilitate the many details such a complex endeavor entails.
It was such an honor to be invited to participate in this timely exhibition — a grand way to celebrate International Women's Day. For my Google photo album.
“Vale of Tears" is composed of hundreds of "castaways" of translucent and transparent plastic wrappers: shimmering pieces of plastic that catch the eye when tangled in the drift of seaweed are hung in the windows overlooking Victoria Harbor. The diaphanous scrim is the backdrop for my wedding dress "Forever" that is made entirely from recycled materials: white shopping bags for the dress, translucent dry cleaner bags for the shawl, pieces of white beach plastic on the trim of the skirt, tiny swirls of pink plastic bags for roses on the tiara and bouquet. Mounted on a 6' pole it stands as a towering presence with my shawl spread as wings. Where the edge of the skirt circles on the floor, the 12’ diameter area has the look of seafoam that was washed ashore. My ensemble expresses the "forever" of my enduring love for my husband and the unfortunate "forever" of plastic.
It was such an honor to be invited to participate in this timely exhibition — a grand way to celebrate International Women's Day. For my Google photo album.
“Vale of Tears" is composed of hundreds of "castaways" of translucent and transparent plastic wrappers: shimmering pieces of plastic that catch the eye when tangled in the drift of seaweed are hung in the windows overlooking Victoria Harbor. The diaphanous scrim is the backdrop for my wedding dress "Forever" that is made entirely from recycled materials: white shopping bags for the dress, translucent dry cleaner bags for the shawl, pieces of white beach plastic on the trim of the skirt, tiny swirls of pink plastic bags for roses on the tiara and bouquet. Mounted on a 6' pole it stands as a towering presence with my shawl spread as wings. Where the edge of the skirt circles on the floor, the 12’ diameter area has the look of seafoam that was washed ashore. My ensemble expresses the "forever" of my enduring love for my husband and the unfortunate "forever" of plastic.
"No Room for Sand" is the title of the print of hundreds of nurdles magnified hundreds of times. Nurdles are pre-production plastic pellets. They are almost impossible to see until one learns how to differentiate them from a grain of sand or a fish egg. Once they are known, one sees numbers of them scattered across the sand. Nurdles are the raw plastic material that is shipped to manufacturers of bottles, car parts, toys, almost anything made of plastic. Nurdles replace the diamonds in these two gold wedding rings along with a scatter of nurdles presented like rare jewels. Lest we forget: Like diamonds, plastic is forever.
To celebrate the frenzy and grace of the last planetary dance Mylar balloons are scattered across the floor. Although faded and torn, the inscriptions of “congratulations” and “good wishes” are still discernible announcing “it’s party time!!!” Balloons may seem fun as they billow across the sky but when they wash ashore, they are not fun to wildlife. Hey, balloons,“the party’s really over.”
It was my good luck that I found my person (champion husband Richard), my place (Kehoe Beach) and this rare jewel of a planet (Earth).
My bouquet of red and pink plastic roses is tossed to you; to everyone; with the wish that you/they find true love that includes a person, a place and this planet.
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UPDATE APRIL 6, 2020
As the COVID-19 bad news has unfolded with social distancing, avoiding large groups and travel restrictions put into place, I was not surprised that, in the interest of public safety, the Bateman Centre, Victoria, BC closed. Needless to say, it was a big disappointment that just days after Castaways:Art from the Material World opened, it had to close. But thanks to the team at the Bateman, there is now a 3-D virtual tour. https://batemanfoundation.org/exhibits/castaways-art-from-the-material-world/
Although the 3-D virtual can never replace the value of an in-person encounter with a work of art, it offers an exciting way to enlarge the reach and influence of the exhibition and a way that Castaways can live on, long past its scheduled time in the gallery space.
At first it is a bit tricky to navigate but once you get the hang of it you will be able to walk through and find my "Forever” wedding dress installation that is in the back on the right side.
UPDATE August 22, 2020
