Julia Skelly - Radical Decadence: Excess in Contemporary Feminist Textiles and Craft

Radical Decadence

My dear fellow, as if I cared!

Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891)

Radical Decadence

Excess in contemporary feminist textiles and craft

Julia Skelly

Bloomsbury Academic

An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Contents

Plates

Judy Chicago (American, born 1939). The Dinner Party, 197479. Ceramic, porcelain, textile, 576576 in. (14631463 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of The Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation, 2002.10. Judy Chicago.

Orly Cogan, Bittersweet Obsession, 2008. Vintage fabric, stitching, appliqu, paint. 127127 cm. Museum of Art and Design, New York. Courtesy of the artist.

Orly Cogan, Mirror, Mirror, 2006. Hand-stitched embroidery, paint, and crochet on vintage linen, 1924 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Orly Cogan, Confections, 2006. Courtesy of the artist.

Nava Lubelski, Clumsy, 2007. Collection of the artist. Copyright Nava Lubelski.

Shary Boyle, To Colonize the Moon, 2008. Porcelain, china paint, luster,diamond, mirror. 25 29 40 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. PhotobyRafael Goldchain.

Mickalene Thomas, Are You That Someone?, 2010. Rhinestones, acrylic, enamel on wood panel. Mickalene Thomas. Courtesy of Mickalene Thomas, Lehmann Maupin, New York and Hong Kong, and Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Mickalene Thomas, I Learned the Hard Way, 2010. Rhinestones, acrylic, enamel on wood panel, 120 96 in. Mickalene Thomas. Courtesy of Mickalene Thomas, Susanne Veilmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles and Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Shary Boyle, Ouroboros, 2006. Porcelain, enamel, luster, 162618 cm. Collection ofthe artist.

Ghada Amer, Pink, 2000. Acrylic, embroidery, and gel medium on canvas, 48 50 in. (122 127 cm).

Ghada Amer, Knotty But Nice, 2005. Acrylic, embroidery, and gel medium on canvas, 108 144 in. (274.3 365.8 cm).

Allyson Mitchell, detail from exhibition of Ladies Sasquatch, 2010. Foundtextiles, wood, Styrofoam, plastic, glass, fiberglass, and metal. McMaster Museum of Contemporary Art, Hamilton, Ontario. Photograph by Cat ONeil. Courtesy of the artist.

Rozanne Hawksley, Et ne non inducas (And Lead Us Not), 198789. Glove, 22cm long. Courtesy of artist and Philip Hughes of Ruthin Craft Centre.

Rozanne Hawksley, Libera me, domine, de morte aeterna (Deliver me, oh Lord, from eternal death), 1992. White glove with black sleeve with pearls, bones, and crucifix in black-lined box. Courtesy of artist and Philip Hughes of Ruthin Craft Centre.

Rozanne Hawksley, Aimez-vous le big Mac?, 2008. Glove. Courtesy of artist and Philip Hughes of Ruthin Craft Centre.

Rozanne Hawksley, Queen of Spades, 2008. White glove with black lace overlay, jewels and painted vellum playing cards. Courtesy of artist and PhilipHughes of Ruthin Craft Centre.

Chapter

Introduction

Aubrey Beardsley, The Woman in the Moon, for Salom, 1893. Black ink and graphite on white wove paper. 23 16.5 cm (9 1/16 6 in.) Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.643. Photo: Imaging Department President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Aubrey Beardsley, The Peacock Skirt, for Salom, 1893. Black ink and graphite on white wove paper. 23 16.8 cm (9 1/16 6 5/8 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.649. Photo: Imaging Department President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Aubrey Beardsley, John and Salome, for Salom, 1893. Black ink and graphite on white wove paper. 23.3 16.4 cm (9 3/16 6 7/16 in.) Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.651. Photo: Imaging Department President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Aubrey Beardsley, The Eyes of Herod, for Salom, 1893. Black ink and graphite on white wove paper. 22.9 16.9 cm (9 6 5/8 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.631. Photo: Imaging Department President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Aubrey Beardsley, The Stomach Dance, for Salom, 1893. Black ink and graphite with corrections in white gouache on white wove paper. 22.6 16.6 cm (8 7/8 6 9/16 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.634. Photo: Imaging Department President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Aubrey Beardsley, The Dancers Reward, for Salom, 1893. Black ink and graphite on white wove paper. 23 16.5 cm (9 1/16 6 1/2 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.652. Photo: Imaging Department President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Aubrey Beardsley, The Burial of Salome, for Salom, 1893. Black ink and graphite on white wove paper. 16.4 17.4 cm (6 7/16 6 7/8 in.) Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.642. Photo: Imaging Department President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Jessica Sallay-Carrington, Fat Rabbit and All Her Glory, 2012. Porcelain and velvet cushion, 20 9 20. Collection of the artist.

Chapter 1

Orly Cogan, Cupcake Girl, 2005. Courtesy of the artist.

Shelley Miller, The Good Life Guide, 2003. Courtesy of the artist.

Shelley Miller, Consumptuous, 2006. Galerie Articule, Montreal. Courtesy of the artist.

Shelley Miller, Eye Want You (LV) #1, 2003. Courtesy of the artist.

Shelley Miller, Eye Want You (LV), 2003. Installation view. Courtesy of the artist.

Chapter 2

Orly Cogan, Little Debbie I, from Bachelor Girls/Sweet Confessions series, 2005. Vintage fabric, stitching, paint. 68.6 x 35.6 cm. Courtesy of the artist.

Orly Cogan, Little Debbie II, from Bachelor Girls/Sweet Confessions series, 2005. Courtesy of the artist.

Shary Boyle, Untitled, 2005. Lace-draped porcelain and china paint. 27 20 20.5 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Courtesy of the artist.

Mickalene Thomas, Brawlin Spitfire Wrestlers 2, 2008. Resin, paint, and Swarovski crystals. 10 14 9.75 in. Mickalene Thomas. Courtesy of Mickalene Thomas and Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Chapter 3

Ghada Amer, The Flneuses, 2008. Acrylic, embroidery, and gel medium on canvas. 66 69 in. (167.6 175.3 cm).

Allyson Mitchell, detail from exhibition of Ladies Sasquatch, 2010. Found textiles, wood, Styrofoam, plastic, glass, fiberglass, and metal. McMaster Museum of Contemporary Art, Hamilton, Ontario. Photograph by Cat ONeil. Courtesy of the artist

Allyson Mitchell, detail from exhibition of Ladies Sasquatch, 2010. Found textiles, wood, Styrofoam, plastic, glass, fiberglass, and metal. McMaster Museum of Contemporary Art, Hamilton, Ontario. Photograph by Cat ONeil. Courtesy of the artist.

Allyson Mitchell, detail from exhibition of Ladies Sasquatch, 2010. Found textiles, wood, Styrofoam, plastic, glass, fiberglass, and metal. McMaster Museum of Contemporary Art, Hamilton, Ontario. Photograph by Cat ONeil. Courtesy of the artist.

Chapter 4

Rozanne Hawksley, One has to be so careful these days, 2004. Face mask. Courtesy of artist and Philip Hughes of Ruthin Craft Centre.

Clara Peeters (15941659), A Vanitas Portrait of a Lady Believed to be Clara Peeters/Private Collection/Photo Bonhams, London UK/Bridgeman Images.

Julie Heffernan, Self-Portrait as Unwelcome Guest