Tamara writes: Don't know how this -- what looks like a part of a private correspondence -- wound its way onto Arachne, but I find the subject fascinating and am grateful for the mysteries of the e-space which made it public :) To explain, Aurelia sent me an email that, in retrospect, I think she intended for the list. I hope I do not violate e etiquette when I quote it. "Dear Devon -- What qualifies as "modern" lace, would you say? I don't use existing patterns, I make my own -- is that "modern?" All the lace I have made over the past seven years is 21stCentury lace -- is that "modern?" Then there is that woman in Belgium with the funny name (can't think what it is, at the moment) who has been working very hard over the last 25 years or so to acquaint the world with "contemporary" lace. (Hideous stuff, to my mind) Does that qualifu? I'd love to read an expanded piece by you on the topic. -- Aurelia" My response, was more or less the following. "I guess I would have to expand my thoughts to write such a piece. I hadn't really given it much thought. I guess I am trying to distinguish the antique lace we buy, from something with 20th and 21st century eye-appeal. I suppose a traditional Bucks pattern made now, even designed now, would not fit my idea of modern. I actually tend think of the Weiner Werkstatte type lace as "modern". The term "contemporary" has been used to apply to very experimental type lace. I even find myself, now, thinking about how our image of contemporary lace actually brings to mind lace being made in the 1970's and that that was different in style from the lace actually being made now by those edgy lacemakers who all seem to reside in Europe. Is your work modern, or are the appropriate terms "timeless" or classic? Now that we have conquered the terminology question about what a whole stitch is, perhaps we should take this one up. As perhaps you may recall, the Campaign for Modern Lace was conceived to encourage people to send me free modern lace gifts which I would then wear to fancy places in the hope of inspiring the art buying public into embracing new style lace to provide a boost for new style lacemakers. I wore a wire lace piece to the Christmas Revels in New York, the year before last, not admittedly the place where well-heeled art lovers hang out, but none the less, a sort of odd ball bohemian/folk atmosphere. This year there was another woman there wearing something that looked a lot like wire lace and many remarks from my party indicated that headway was slow, but possibly not non-existent. Actually, I exhibited a jewelry box of the wire work of Susan Lambiris, Tamara, myself and Debra Jenny at the lacemaking demonstration at the Museum of Arts and Design, formerly the American Craft Museum. It was very well received by the public who attended the event, many of whom were fiber and other artists. The head of the docent program and the education program suggested that we should be contacting the Museum to sell it there. However, I don't think my work is "finished" looking enough, and there isn't much of it. Susan Lambiris cannot seem to assemble enough pieces to submit as a "line" to a gallery such as Julie's, because she keeps selling them personally and working on commission. So, even if I inspired a panic to own wire and modern lace, there doesn't seem to be a supply. I am a member of the Textile Study Group of New York and they actually rented a gallery to show the work of their members who had not yet hit it big. I didn't enter anything. However, when I saw the quality of the other entries, I could have kicked myself, because my work was probably no worse. Let's see if they do it again. I consider Jane Atkinson's work to be contemporary. Your remarks make me realize that I should probably develop some explanation for these designations instead of just throwing around terms I am unable to properly define. What are your thoughts on contemporary, vs. modern, and whether your work is aptly described as either?" Then Aurelia sent her very thoughtful response to the list as a whole- and that is where the conversation took off. Does anyone else have anything to offer about what "modern lace" is? Or contemporary lace? It is a good question. Devon
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