30: Vertical Row (T134)
Catalogue Record
Collection
Maker
Maxine Bristow
Title
30: Vertical Row
Made in
Chester
Date
1996
Description
Narrow long quilted linen coloured fabric with a gesso surface, with loops on the back to mount the work, and one vertical band of 30 'buttonhole' style slits.
Materials and techniques
Linen and cotton machine quilted, hand seamed and constructed. Linen bound buttonholes. Gesso surface. Narrow long quilted linen coloured fabric with button holes running vertically down the centre of the work. Loops on the back to mount the work. Give horizontal bands of seven 'buttonhole' style quilting and one very large 'buttonhole' design running vertically on the bottom half of the work.
Dimensions
length: 92cm
width: 37cm
Object number
T134
Category
Maker's statement
This piece and 36: Centre Seam (T135) are two smaller samples in a series of "bag" pieces, which, whilst firmly set within the context of abstraction, having a front, back and interior space suggest function and utility are perhaps closer to the idea of an artefact than a painting. The titles of the pieces make reference to the slow and almost meditative processes involved in their making; the working of row upon row of stitches and the handturning of buttonholes, becomes in itself an almost mesmerising personal ritual. There is security and comfort in this order and repetition yet also almost a mathematical coolness and emotional disengagement. These two smaller pieces begin to make reference to the contradictory themes of austerity and sensuality which are explored more fully in the larger pieces.