Carolyn Conrad
" During the last 3 years I have developed a body of work referring to the “book”. I collected art papers and various kinds of papers over several years, the medium of my choice. I had enough paper to think of a recycled project. I first stain the papers with gouache, tear them into rectangle and square shapes, stack them into bundles and bind them with string or cord. All the bundles have a thickness suggesting books, writing pads, and album forms. In some of the recent works I have slipped stained cloth under the grid to create a collage that projects architectural drawing and plans. This gives me something literal to work with not just an abstract woven tableau.
The presentation of the “objects” is part of the conversation. Framing the work either as single pieces, diptychs, or triptychs in deep boxes relates to vitrines, bookcases or showcases and are to be viewed under glass as specimens (like old or new documents) preserved in and for history. This is my way to archive my line drawings, a contemporary writing language.
In addition, the above pieces in the show are dryer lint works. Dryer lint has been collected over several months, even a year to create a construction using the most ephemeral material. Like the gridded string work, the fibers are encased like specimens behind glass relegated to a higher place discovering complexity."
Carolyn Conrad