Renee Magnanti
The fusion of traditional aesthetic expressions with the contemporary is essential to the artwork that I create and has been for the extent of my professional career. Pattern has always been a leitmotif in my work. The conceptual and aesthetic qualities of pattern are the essential components of my practice. With the inclusion of text, my art embraces a feminist perspective that references the women’s societal role in the production of art and creative aesthetics.
These pieces are about women around the world and their contributions to textile arts and culture in general. Early interest in pattern brought me to examine textiles. The work of women, in particular, became an interest for me as I studied the history behind these various fiber arts and the importance to the society that these objects held. Remembering my grandmothers’ making lace, their story of doing piecework and work in textile factories, provided me a personal history to my art as an Italian-American woman.
Images from Left to Right
Alice Augusta Ball, intaglio with handcoloring, 10x8 inches, 2020
Maria Sibylla Merian, intaglio with handcoloring, 10x8 inches, 2019
Irish Women, intaglio with embroidery on linen, 10x8 inches, 2016
Things Began to Change, intaglio with handcoloring and paper yarn weaving, 106 x 34 inches, 2019
Jewish Pattern with Silver Weaving, intaglio with handcoloring and paper yarn weaving, 9 x 13 inches, 2017
The Encyclopedia of Women’s Daily Life, woodcut, 72x14 inches, 2018