'Crochet Coral Reef' by Margaret and Christine Wertheim confronts the prevalence of plastic waste through complex, woven sculptures. (Photographs by Isadora Pennington)
Photo essay: ‘Threads of Change’ at MODA
By
Isadora Pennington
Only one more week remains to view Threads of Change at MODA. The exhibition features works made in a variety of textile-based and inspired methods, including crocheting, sewing, embroidery and even basket-woven wood and paper sculptures.
Every work in this show has a greater environmental or scientific message. From the story of the origin of oil to a replica of a human brain, there are compelling and textual works in this exhibit that inspire a deeper contemplation of the world.
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Tempetries in the lobby was created by the Knit Wits at the North Decatur Presbyterian Church. Part of a global initiative, The Tempestry Project enlists participants to choose personally significant years and knitted temperature records corresponding with the weather that year.
TheBlack Gold Tapestry by Sandra Sawatzky expansively fills the space from the front hallway, through the side gallery and back to the back gallery. Spanning 67 meters at full length, the work tells the story of our evolving relationship with oil, and of its effect on mankind throughout time, through intricate hand embroidery.
In the side gallery, Nathalie Miebach’s data-driven sculptures interpret data in a playful tangle of wood and paper. Miebach pulls from climate and storm data to create 3-D basket-woven sculptures and musical scores, with finished works that thread the needle between visual chaos and precise, scientific order.
Also in the side gallery, Bonnie Peterson’s colorful textiles utilize embroidery to convey geometric data. Works in this series portray data covering topics such as the rate of permafrost thaw, glaciers melting, droughts, and temperature mapping over significant periods of time. Upon entering the back gallery, NET-WORK by Adrian Baker hangs overhead. The work inspires contemplation about the interconnectedness of life through the means of more than 300 strands of fabric collected from sources around the world, its installation is meant to evoke the underground networks of mycorrhizal fungi.
Knitted Brains 1 and 2 by Dr. Karen Norburg feature detailed knitted reproductions of the human brain. In the work, you can see both the recognizable external and the deeper, often hidden, internal portions of the brain.
Perhaps my favorite element of this exhibit, the Crochet Coral Reefby Margaret and Christine Wertheim features a series of four intricate sculptures made of a variety of materials such as yarn, plastic shopping bags, felt, cable ties, chicken wire, hula hoops, videotapes, and more.
As I looked up at the sculptures that loomed above me and were framed by the skylights of the gallery above, it felt almost akin to being a tiny fish out in the sea. The Coral Forest sculptures evoke wonder and playfulness while reminding us of a very serious concern – the prevalence of plastic waste polluting our oceans, and the plight of our coral reefs. Not limited to an exhibit dedicated to visuals, visitors are also welcomed to sit down and participate in two craft stations within the museum. Visitors can contribute a data-driven selfie to a wall in the side gallery, and take a rest in the back gallery while knitting or crocheting strands that are then attached to a communal display.
If you’d like to see Threads of Change in person make sure to stop by this week before the exhibition closes on Sunday, May 25. MODA is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 12 to 7 p.m. and is located at 1315 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30002.
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Isadora Pennington is Senior Editor of Art + Design and Dance. An experienced writer and photographer with a deep love for the arts, Isadora founded the Sketchbook newsletter with Rough Draft Atlanta in 2022. She is also President of the Avondale Arts Alliance and Director of the Avondale Arts Center.
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