Contemporary Artists Explore Tapestry's Potential in New York Exhibition

Thirteen artists created tapestries for a show at James Cohan Gallery in New York City, running from January 8 to February 13. Banners of Persuasion, a London arts organization, commissioned the works three years prior, with weaving executed by experts in China. The exhibition reveals diverse approaches to the medium, where some pieces gain meaning through tapestry's historical associations. Kara Walker's 2008 piece, A Warm Summer Evening in 1863, uses a black silhouette against riot scenes, evoking Renaissance weaving in its storytelling. Fred Tomaselli's After Migrant Fruit Thugs and Shahzia Sikander's Pathology of Suspension, both from 2008, reference Middle Eastern weaving traditions through decorative styles and motifs. Grayson Perry's Vote Alan Measles for God incorporates war rug imagery from 1980s Afghanistan, featuring a red Gumby-like figure atop the Twin Towers with violent symbols. Francesca Lowe's Trump depicts an apocalyptic mushroom cloud with body parts, though its translation to tapestry may not differ significantly from painting. While artists like William Kentridge and Chuck Close have successfully used tapestry, some works here feel disconnected from the handcrafted nature of weaving, raising questions about the labor's purpose.