Recent events: Dissilience

Thanks to Su Pang and Miss Vanilla, curators and photographer (Su) and musician (MV) respectively, for including me in a one-night, all-woman show last weekend in Dumbo at Rabbithole Studios. I was in the company of some talented women — Fina Yeung, Emily Strange, Sharela Bonfield, Katherine Kisa, Elaine Hargrove, Stephanie Calvert, Anne Spurgeon, Lia Zuvilivia, Rose DeSiano

In my years participating in group shows in New York, this was one of the best, most satisfying and surprising. Su, who lives across the country, picked our work from online images, and wasn't sure what she was getting into. Neither were we! The level of craftsmanship and fusion between content (which varied greatly from artist to artist) and craft in each woman's work exceeded any expectations I might have had. I was in awe when I stepped into the gallery to hang my work. I had found a group of peer artists, with little effort on my part except for answering Su's emails, showing up with a hammer and some nails.

Below are a couple of installation shots of my work. For more images taken by Su Pang from the exhibit and performances, visit Facebook.

Not embattled, embraced

“Not Embattled, Embraced.” 2016. 

Paint on fabric with stiffener, stuffing, stitching, embroidery, handmade glass beads. 7.3″ x 3.5″ x 1.5″. 

Thoughts of women’s (reproductive) health book, “Our Bodies, Ourselves” and Barbara Krueger’s, “Your body is a battleground.” 

Text on back of figure (cape) says, “Our bodies are our own. Not embattled, embraced.” 

Perhaps contradictory are the beads strapped to her chest, which remind me of armor and also weaponry, as if she is about to battle. 

In a recent conversation with a friend, I described a 20 minute conversation I have with myself when getting dressed to run or go to work, to go out to meet friends: Is this hemline too short and will it attract too much (unwanted) attention? How many times will I want to tell a guy to put his eyes away or quit commenting? Is this outfit appropriate for school (being with students)? What message does it send? Will I feel comfortable in this? Will I feel safe?

When old and new love stories collide

Dear blog readers, dear cyberspace, dear digital friends,

Through the kindness of two Brooklyn curators, Katherine Gressel and Kim Maier of the Old Stone House, my work will be included in a show opening this Wednesday evening, "Partners, Parents, Pets: Contemporary Portraiture."

The curators were most interested in my 2011 Brooklyn Arts Council sponsored Brooklyn Love Exchange project. Most of that work was sold, and we're showing a few remaining pieces. I decided to revisit old content—love stories people had emailed me, and I'd liked but was too overwhelmed to embroider. I ended up making two of those and an email collaging memories of an old love with a new, brief love interest. The piece below includes 30 years of memories.

Remembering the past can be wistful and also torturous. I am glad this piece is over. I finished it in time for the exhibit and can move on emotionally from some difficult memories.

If you happen to be in the New York area, please join us this Wednesday, 2/10, 6-9pm at the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn at 336 3rd Street.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling, new sculptures in the works

Hand painted, stitched, stiffened, stuffed fabric with hand made glass beads. 2016. Iviva Olenick

Happy New Year and my work as a social contract

For the past three years, I've struggled with how to make work that moves beyond sharing my own and others' personal stories into the realm of culturally-relevant commentary. It is possible that my own thinking and self-contextualization were the only barriers to this. What if I were to think of my work as a social contract, and myself as having a duty or responsibility to represent multiple voices as a way of speaking about contemporary social issues without being didactic or obnoxious?

A new version of my artist statement is underway. I am thinking of making it the home page of my web site. Good idea or ridiculous?!