Tender Growl

March 1st - March 30th.

Monaco is delighted to present TENDER GROWL, the first solo exhibition of tapestries by Sage Mend (Alton, Illinois), on view in the Main Gallery. Monaco member Edo Rosenblith organizes this exhibition.

Please join us for an opening reception on Friday, March 1st, 2024, from 6 to 9 p.m., with viewings available on Saturdays from 12 to 4 p.m. and by appointment.

Please contact Monaco at info@monacomonaco.us / IG: @monaco_usa for all inquiries and appointments.

Artist Statment:

A millefleur pattern of woven stars, buttons, needles, and hearts aids the creation of unicorns in these tapestries. The unicorn, a familiar woven symbol, is reimagined with nostalgic and contemporary icons and materials. These works reference Medieval unicorn tapestries such as The Hunt of the Unicorn and The Lady and the Unicorn.

The colors are all hand-dyed after the piece was woven and inspired by uncanny unicorn toys and stickers. Bleeding warp colors contrast a densely woven damask chenille, alluding to velvet coloring pages.

Contradictions fill the page from the core of its construction to the narratives it presents. Colorful darkness, uncanny cuteness, and tender violence emerge as a common thread. Unicorns that we find in stores and sticker packs embody these contradictions subtly. A backpack, sewn from the skin of a unicorn, cries. A unicorn cake, somewhere among the stars, helplessly awaits the next knife slice. Playfulness teetering on aggression is a tactic of captivation, allowing unicorns to reflourish and thrive at this present moment. This allure invites a dangerous indulgence of unicorn consumption and engagement. Without engagement, it’s possible that unicorns, in their complex and absurd present nature, could be at risk of extinction. What, then, is the response to their large eyes and colorful fur when they ask: will you play with me?

Bio:

Sage Mend is a textile artist and weaver born in Knoxville, Tennessee. She completed her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2020, specializing in Fiber and Material Studies. Raised in Southern Appalachia, fiber techniques such as quilting were learned from the family. Using fabric and yarn materials from stores such as the Dollar Store, Joann Fabrics, and Walmart became key in her practice when combining woven structures with materials. A browse through the Dollar Store leads to velvet coloring pages, inspiring the use of black chenille in weavings. Such novelty materials reference contradictory aspects of the American middle class, such as cheapness and allure. Through structural and material exploration of the loom, ideas of the contemporary unicorn as an icon for the American Dream are investigated and heightened, solidifying their presence in weaving and textile history. This solidification, in their indulgent materiality, forms a new unicorn lineage.

Sage Mend’s textiles have been shown as part of the Digital Weaving Conference in Cleveland, OH, the first conference related to groundbreaking contributions to contemporary digital weaving in the United States. Her works have been shown internationally, including Blönduós, Iceland, and Divus Studio in Prague, Czechia. Mend is a Best of Show recipient for innovation in textiles from the Yeiser Art Center in Kentucky. Her work has been shown in the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

You can find Sage Mend’s work at IG: @sagemend_  or www.sagemend.com