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Home arrow Arts + Life arrow Review: 'Traces of Time' has quite a presence
Review: 'Traces of Time' has quite a presence Print E-mail
By Ivy Cooper, Special to the Beacon   
Posted 10:32 am Fri., 07.30.10

"Traces of Time and Presence" features the work of this year's artists-in-residence at Craft Alliance in Grand Center: Erin Vigneau Dimick in fibers, Tom Dykas in clay and Michael Parrett in metals. It's a quiet show, with works in different media that hang well together, forging subtle thematic and formal connections.

The basics

craftalliance300dress.jpgWhen: Through Aug. 15

Where: Craft Alliance Grand Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd.

Information: 314-534-7528, www.craftalliance.org

Photo of Erin Vigneau Dimick's work from the Craft Alliance website

Vigneau Dimick works with wardrobe ephemera such as vintage handkerchiefs and dainty white gloves with buttons and beads. Onto these she stitches lines of text that meditate on female rituals and experience. "I Got It!" has a giddy narrative about a girl's first period sewn onto a 50s-style sweater and skirt ensemble; the "Mother Said Series" features ambivalent adages and advice ("Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?") sewn onto handkerchiefs. Vigneau Dimick's works reveal the central and parallel roles played by language and garments in negotiating one's social identity.

Parrett makes extraordinarily beautiful faux archeological finds that project a future past. Many of his pieces are electroformed copper versions of plastic containers; one neckpiece is fashioned out of actual salvaged plastic lids that might be mistaken for precious metal. Parrett has a keen sensibility for materials and forms, transforming the detritus of consumer culture into ruins that appear to have descended from another planet. His work neither condemns nor celebrates post-consumer waste, but rather recontextualizes it, allowing for a fresh reconsideration of what we produce, how we live, and what we leave in our wake.

Dykas paints fragile, translucent images on stoneware, referencing Chinese ink painting and deep sea biology. Formally, Dykas' creamy stoneware and thin paints nod to the milky palette of Vigneau Dimick's garments, while his subjects pick up the archeological themes in Parrett's art.

Ivy Cooper, a professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, is the Beacon art critic. To reach her, contact Beacon features and commentary editor Donna Korando.

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Editors' Picks

  • Books

    • Sara Pennypacker and Marla Frazee, author and illustrator of the Clementine series for young readers, will discuss "Clementine, Friend of the Week," at 7 p.m., Sept. 27 at the St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

    • Rick Riordan will read from his work and sign books in an appearance at MICDS, 101 N. Warson Rd., at 7 p.m. Oct. 14. Free, but tickets required. slclfoundation.wordpress.com/

    • Ellen Hopkins, author of the Crank teen series will discuss the latest installment in the trilogy, "Fallout," at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at the St. Louis Country Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd. Free.

    • Thomas Danisi will discuss his book “Meriwether Lewis” at 2 p.m. Sept. 21, at the Grand Glaize Branch of St. Louis County Library, 1010 Meramec Station Rd., Manchester. The book focuses on Lewis’ pre-expedition and post-expedition life.

  • Theater/Dance

    • Immediacy Theatre Project holds a "Drawn and Quartered" series at Mad Art Gallery , 2727 South 12th St., July 30 and 31, Aug. 20 and 21, Sept. 23 and 24, and Oct. 29 and 30. Each month offers 35 new two-minute plays. Doors open at 7 p.m.; shows start at 8. $8 at the door.

    • Top Tony awards go to "Red," "Memphis": Big-name winners included Denzel Washington, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Scarlett Johansson and Viola Davis. | New York Times

    • The 2010-11 International Performing Arts Series at the Touhill will feature Chinese Dance; Mavrothi Kontanis and the Maeandros Ensemble; Taikoza; Chiwoniso: Rebel Woman, and Triptych. Subscriptions available now; single tickets Aug. 9. http://www.touhill.org

    • "Fela!" and "La Cage" pick up 11 Tony nominations each: Broadway veteran Jan Maxwell pulled off a rare feat, scoring double honors as a nominee for lead actress in a play (“The Royal Family”) and for featured actress in a play (“Lend Me a Tenor”). | New York Times

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    • The first performance in the stylus concert series at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, 3716 Washington, will take place at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14 & 15. Kurtag's Kafka-Fragmente, op. 24 will be performed by soprano Susan Narucki and violinist David Halen. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets, $10-$20, can be purchased through the Symphony .

    • Arianna String Quartet kicks off 2010-11 concert series at 8 p.m. Sept. 10 at the E. Desmond & Mary Ann Lee Theater at the Touhill with works by Dvoak, Shostakovich and Schubert. $23. www.touhill.org or 314-516-4949.

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    • Mitch Miller, influential record producer and TV host, dies at age 99: His “Sing Along With Mitch” album series and TV shows found an eager audience among older listeners looking for an alternative to rock ’n’ roll. | New York Times

 
  • Neighborhoods

    • Have "Coffee with the Presidents" -- Peter Wyse Jackson and Peter H. Raven, that is -- from 9-10:30 a.m., Sept. 25. at the Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd. www.mobot.org

    • The Endangered Wolf Center, Washington University's Tyson Research Center (6750 Tyson Valley Road, Eureka), will hold an open house from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 19. $15 a carload. Photo opportunities and entertainment will be available.

    • The 9th annual Green Homes Festival will be from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Missouri Botanical Garden's EarthWays Center in the 3600 block of Grandel Square.

    • Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Katy Trail with a Father's Day (June 20) bike ride to benefit prostate cancer research at the Siteman Cancer Center. The ride will begin between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at several points along the Katy Trail and will end in Defiance, Mo. $10-$15. www.fathersdaybikeride.com/

  • Visual Arts

    • A reception for “(dis)Mantle,” an installation by Jill Downen will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sept. 25 at the Luminary, 4900 Reber Place. The show will run through Oct. 30 Open Wednesday-Saturday from 12-6 p.m. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

    • The Nu-Art Series will present "Paintings by Cbabi Bayoc" from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 3 at the Metropolitan Gallery, 2936 Locust St. The show continues through Oct. 2, Wednesday - Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information: 314-535-6500 www.thenu-artseries.org .

    • Performance artist Tom Brady offers "Emozioni Ricordati (Recalled Emotions)" at 8 p.m. Sept. 16-18 and 23-25 at Satori, 3003 Locust St. Tickets: aartser.eventbrite.com/

    • A show by Kit Keith, “New and Used,” will open with a reception from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 10 at William Shearburn Gallery , 4735 McPherson Ave. The exhibit will run through Oct. 16.

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