Threading the Table

(2016)

Coming off a successful inaugural residency project and exhibition in downtown Lake Charles’ old Social Security building, Victoria Bradford mounted the second installment of her flagship program PLACE, January 19-22, 2016.  Bradford, a Lake Charles native, will collaborate with Chicago artist Amber Ginsburg in PLACE No. 2: Threading the Table. This micro-residency hovered between two sets of locations, one, public space—the post office at Walnut Grove, and two, private space—homes, living rooms, dining tables, intimate gatherings. 

“Art is not just painting on a wall,” said Bradford during PLACE No. 1 in November 2013. “It’s experiences. It’s ways of thinking. Often art isn’t complete until the viewer becomes part of it.” During a week-long community intervention, citizens of SWLA were invited to participate in the creation of an embroidered object. The artists hosted durational day-long stitching at the post office Tuesday through Friday and private dinner-stitch gatherings in the homes of Robbie Austin, Anna Catherine Viator, and Courtney Dampf throughout the week. Finally Friday, January 22, 6-9pm the finished product was revealed at the post office, open to the public.

Threading the Table conjured imagery of the dinner table in shades of gray thread. The artists invited members of the SWLA community to contribute in stitching the shared experience of gathering for a meal. Citizens were welcome to come at any time during the open hours (10am-4pm) to stitch, or to call to schedule a visit with the artists (337-794-8222). No experience was required.  

This project was supported by the Free Swim Fund, a field of interest fund at the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana with contributions from the American Press Foundation, Stream Family Limited Partnership, the SWLA Economic Development Alliance Foundation, Patricia Prebula, John and Dinah Bradford, the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, among others.

Date

January 19 – 22, 2016

Place

Lake Charles, LA

Collaborating Artists

Amber Ginsberg and Victoria Bradford

Photo/Video

© A House Unbuilt