Waters Above the Firmament

Lenore TawneyWW-1976-019845

1976·Linen, warp-faced weft-ribbed plain weave with discontinuous wefts; 18th/19th century manuscript pages cut into strips, attached, and painted with Liquitex acrylic paint; braided, knotted, and cut warp fringe·397.6 × 369 cm (156 1/2 × 145 1/4 in.)

<p>Lenore Tawney’s <em>Waters above the Firmament</em> owes its striking character to the simplicity of its basic concept: a large circle set into a square. This simplicity is complicated by the weight Tawney has given to the upper half of the circle, in which the warps are made of paper and fabric coated in thick blue paint. Here Tawney, known for her pioneering exposure of the warp (vertical thread element), provided a variant on that theme: she wove the circle with slits that open at regular half-inch intervals, emphasizing a third dimension, a device she utilized in many of her weavings. Trained in sculpture at the Institute of Design in Chicago and an alumna of the School of the Art Institute, Tawney’s exploration of weaving as a sculptural enterprise fits well within her body of work, which also includes laminated boxes and collages as well as constructions composed of such materials as eggshells and chairs.</p>

Catalogue

Year: 1976
Medium: Linen, warp-faced weft-ribbed plain weave with discontinuous wefts; 18th/19th century manuscript pages cut into strips, attached, and painted with Liquitex acrylic paint; braided, knotted, and cut warp fringe
Dimensions: 397.6 × 369 cm (156 1/2 × 145 1/4 in.)
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
Artist: Lenore Tawney

Artist

Lenore Tawney

Drawing

Lenore Tawney was an American weaver and sculptor who pioneered the use of linen and other fibers as primary sculptural materials rather than decorative textiles. Beginning in the 1950s, she created monumental woven forms that incorporated open spaces and three-dimensional structures, elevating fiber work to fine art status during the postwar period. Her practice moved between wall-based weavings and free-standing sculptural installations, often employing natural materials and industrial techniques. Tawney's innovations established fiber as a legitimate medium for contemporary art discourse.

Lorain, OH, USA

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