I remember as a child going through my mom's button tin and noticing all the colors and how each button was special and unique...I loved sticking my hand in and just letting the buttons slide around my fingers-
So the lovely and interesting button family portraits of Lisa Kokin truly caught my eye. The meticulous craft and construction is impressive as well as the use of buttons as materials. I feel like we all have some wonderful association to buttons.
Kokin's parents were upholsters therefore the stitch and the button were easy choices for her when she turned to make work about her family.
Kokin creates works that is seamlessly both contemporary and nostalgic at the same time. Creating memory and honoring the past.
Her sewn found photo work is just as lovely and inspiring.
She states:
I am intrigued with other people’s photographic recording of their lives both for the generic quality they possess -- the family and social rituals, studio portraits, vacation shots -- and for the feeling of sadness and nostalgia that acquiring other people’s memories provokes in me
I particularly like her style of installation of the photo works. In ways it reminds me of one of my all time favorite artists Annette Messeger.
Kokin's work is truly lovely and gets my mind spinning.
Kokin's work is truly lovely and gets my mind spinning.
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6 comments:
love!!!!!
i love buttons.
in my opinion the best part of the movie benjamin button was .5 minutes into the start of the movie when they showed the logo for one of the production companies... but it was made entirely of piles and piles of buttons. it was grand.
some people are so creative it makes me swoony. the piece of the figures sewn together in a circle is so disturbing somehow -- as though they are in a prison. (how different it would be if they were all facing out.)
I have been curious of your work's relation to the artist Annette Messager for a little while now. She is one of my favorite artists as well. The first time I saw one of the dress pieces adorned with little photographs I literally couldn't breathe. I would love to talk to you a bit more about the way you are informed by her play on the domestic role of the artist.
I love that she has sewn the figures into a three-dimensional space. I agree with kleiosbelly, though about it feeling like they're trapped.
Make me need to re watch Benjamin Button to see that part...but i don not know if i really want to re-watch it...
very interesting thought about the figures facing inward- it would be interesting to see them face out- but I thought more "ring around the rosy" with them facing in...But yes it does ave a creepiness to it...old images often do for me- lives that have past and are gone now.
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