Snow got you thinking of fun winter activities? Let’s hope the pretty white stuff sticks around for this exciting event on March 2, since the thought of seeing Israeli-made artwork by snowshoe is just too oxymoronically perfect to miss!
With the powerful stature and presence of her “Red, Yellow and Blue” installation at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, it’s hard to believe that artist Orly Genger, a New York native (via Israel), is as petite and soft-spoken as she is. But her art speaks for itself, serving as a tour guide in the garden landscape, leading you through nature and sculptures.
The more than 300 miles of rope that comprise this magnificent display of crochet, which is not only recycled from Maine lobstermen but is doubly recycled from an installation in New York’s Madison Square Park, took Genger and her team over two-and-a-half years to crochet. Genger says her love of oversized crocheting didn’t begin with your typical yarn and crochet hook, but rather with a graduate project while at the Art Institute of Chicago. Unlike many of us who may identify as crochet or knit-aholics, Genger is fairly nonchalant about her connection to the art form.
“It’s just a basic crochet knot,” she told me.
But it’s the repetition of this small, simple and seemingly mundane repetitive stitch that makes quite the large-scale impression.
Much like the simplicity of the knots themselves, the title of the piece “Red, Yellow and Blue” is simple and direct. Each of the color sections take on a different character and create a unique feeling, despite the fact that they are indeed one long path.
Samantha Cataldo, Koch Curatorial Fellow at the deCordova, describes the work as “a long sentence through the park with contemplative spots.” The installation in New York created private spots in the midst of a chaotic city, while this installation serves to bring a connection and flow to a much quieter and nature-focused landscape. Regardless of the end result, Genger’s work creates an environment that holds different meaning and interactivity for every participant. And since we’re not allowed to climb on this larger-than-life installation (as it calls out for in spots), what better way to experience this than on snowshoes?!
And what’s the fun winter activity and ironic twist? We’re not just walking through this incredible installation—the New Center NOW Art Circle is taking a private guided snowshoe tour to really get into this work. Despite the recent snow in Jerusalem, we all know you don’t typically think of snow when you think of Israel. So how does Genger feel about this? Well, she’s all too familiar with snow, having grown up in New York. Her parents were both born in Israel, and she fondly recalls childhood summers spent there. And while she hasn’t shown her work excessively in Israel, she was a 2003 participant in the prestigious Haifa Second International Installation Triennial at the Haifa Museum of Art (Haifa happens to be Boston’s sister city!).
Join us for the snowshoe tour on March 2, or for those who prefer the warmth, check it out later in the season. “Red, Yellow and Blue” is on display through Sept. 1, 2014.
*Photo: Orly Genger’s “Red, Yellow and Blue” at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
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