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curatorial statement | LOT 175 | Dr Jennifer E Salahub PhD
I could not bear to think that someone would purchase the battered cardboard box for a mere
$10.00 and in my enthusiasm to raise the price I became the successful bidder for Lot 175 described
as a “box of assorted household linens.” The good news was that there was no
telltale scent of mildew and thus it had rested undisturbed in an Ottawa attic for many years. The
bad news was that my friends were doing little to hide their amusement at my perceived folly as I
now live in Calgary and would have to pack anything worthwhile that I found in this box of “rags”.
Although there was no provenance, dated newspapers left little doubt that the carton had been
crammed full and sealed in the mid 1960s. A veritable time capsule! Remnants of a powdery
chipped foam under padding; small pieces of 1940s linoleum and an alarmingly sticky oilcloth were
quickly discarded (although I was tempted by the linoleum) and I began to assess the so-called
linens …READ MORE
I could not bear to think that someone would purchase the battered cardboard box for a mere
$10.00 and in my enthusiasm to raise the price I became the successful bidder for Lot 175 described
as a “box of assorted household linens.” The good news was that there was no
telltale scent of mildew and thus it had rested undisturbed in an Ottawa attic for many years. The
bad news was that my friends were doing little to hide their amusement at my perceived folly as I
now live in Calgary and would have to pack anything worthwhile that I found in this box of “rags”.
Although there was no provenance, dated newspapers left little doubt that the carton had been
crammed full and sealed in the mid 1960s. A veritable time capsule! Remnants of a powdery
chipped foam under padding; small pieces of 1940s linoleum and an alarmingly sticky oilcloth were
quickly discarded (although I was tempted by the linoleum) and I began to assess the so-called
linens …READ MORE
| In the fall term of 2008, students of Textile Practice: A Cultural Survey taught by Dr Jennifer Salahub at the Alberta College of Art + Design were each given a piece of “antique” household linen purchased from an estate auction. Each student was to consider and create a finished work based on a personal response to the linens. This project brings together the twelve interpretations, showcasing the diversity of individual practices and techniques. |
| all images taken by Joe Kelly during the exhibition at The Marion Nicoll Gallery at the Alberta College of Art + Design in Calgary, Alberta November 1 to 14, 2009 |
