Huntsville, Ala. – The Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA) is thrilled to announce the opening of Cut Up/Cut Out on Sunday, November 19th. Cut Up/Cut Out will be on view at the Museum for general admission until February 11, 2018.
Cut Up/Cut Out is an exhibition of local, national and international artists who explore the captivating methods of decorative piercing and cutting, using a wide range of media from paper and plastic to metal and rubber. The transformative nature of cutting into and through a surface provides endless possibilities for converting the material from opaque to transparent, from flat to sculptural, from rigid to delicate, and from ordinary to exquisite.
“Cut Up/Cut Out honors a traditional art form by showcasing a diverse lineup of innovative artists using contemporary techniques,” said HMA Director of Curatorial Affairs, Peter Baldaia. “We are excited to bring this nationally renowned exhibition to Huntsville and showcase these works that are both laborious and technically demanding.”
The art of cutting paper dates back thousands of years, with early artworks coming from 6th century China. Originally a decorative handcraft for women, Chinese paper-cutting eventually expanded into rural areas, becoming a staple at religious ceremonies and festivals. By the 14th century, paper-cutting spread to the rest of the world, bringing in a new wave of folk art traditions.
Visually diverse, the artworks in Cut Up/Cut Out range in size from three inches to sprawling and complex installations. This show features several large scale installations including: Margaret Griffith’s Coringa, a hand-cut, 12-foot long paper artwork that cascades from the ceiling; Adriane Colburn’s expansive multimedia piece Forest for the Trees; and a site-specific, interactive installation by Los Angeles artist Rebecca Niederlander.
Cut Up/Cut Out also includes a group of artists who are drawn to cutting into unique or unusual materials such as tires, oil drums, and leaves: Wim Delvoye (tires), Mounir Fatmi (saw blades), Ana Didart (receipt paper rolls), Cal Lane (oil drums and cans, land mines), Hillary Waters Fayle, Francesca Pastine (ARTFORUM magazines), and Lorenzo Duran (leaves).
On Sunday, November 19th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., the Museum will host a Curator’s Viewpoint with HMA Director of Curatorial Affairs, Peter Baldaia. This lecture and reception will celebrate the opening of Cut Up/Cut Out, where guests will be able to view the collection and enjoy light hors d’oeuvres following the informative lecture.
Admission to the Curator’s Viewpoint is free for Museum members and included with general admission for non-members.
Cut Up/Cut Out is a travelling exhibition that was organized by Carrie Lederer, Curator of Exhibitions, Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA. This show will travel nationally through 2020. For more information about Cut Up/Cut Out and to see what else is happening at the Museum, visit www.hsvmuseum.org.
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