在纽约艺术画廊纽扣是一种艺术

Buttons Are Art at New York City Gallery 在纽约艺术画廊纽扣是一种艺术

No one can deny that buttons are an important clothing device.

But, can they rise to the level of art? Organizers of an exhibit in New York City think so.

Peter "Souleo" Wright organized "The Button Show," at Rush Arts Gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Eleven artists used the small, ordinary objects to create sculptures, portraits and wearable art. Some of the works are political, some are personal and others are just fun.

Wright said each artist reimagines and repurposes the buttons to make art. "What I tried to do with this show," he said "was look at artists who were elevating that level of craft."

He said he wanted the button art to be comparable to a painting "because of the amount of detail and precision in the work.”

Artist Beau McCall produced "A Harlem Hangover." It looks like a wine bottle that fell over on a table. A stream of connected red buttons hang over the side, like wine flowing down. Similar red buttons form a small pool on the floor.

McCall layers buttons of different shapes and sizes to create the bottle. The stitching that holds them together is also part of the artistic¹ design.

For San Francisco-based artist Lisa Kokin, buttons are highly personal. She said her father was an upholsterer. After he died in 2001, she created a portrait of him using only buttons. That memorial to her father led to other button portraits, including those of activists² Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez.

Kokin also makes button sculptures. A sculpture of her dog Chico is among the works in the show. She first built a structure of wire. Then she covered it in old and new buttons. She connects them all with thread.

Kokin said, "It is as though I am painting with buttons."

Others use buttons for details. Artist Amalia Amaki of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, placed them on and around old photographs. Los Angeles artist Camilla Taylor attached buttons to three large sculptures that look like headless animals with long, narrow legs.

"The Button Show" ends March 12. The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation paid for the exhibition. The foundation was created in 1995 by the Simmons brothers: artist Danny, hip-hop producer Russell and rapper Rev³. Run. The foundation seeks to bring the arts to urban youth and to provide support for new artists.

Words in This Story

button – n. a small, usually round piece of plastic, glass, metal, etc., that is sewn to a piece of clothing and is pushed through a loop or hole to fasten one part of the clothing to another part

sculpture – n. a piece of art that is made by carving⁴ or molding clay, stone, metal, etc.

portrait – n. a painting, drawing, or photograph of a person that usually includes only the person's head and shoulders

elevate – v. to raise

precision – n. exactness or accuracy

upholsterer – n. a person whose work is to cover furniture with cloth, leather, etc.

1 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 rev   

v.发动机旋转，加快速度

参考例句：

• It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
• Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。

4 carving   

n.雕刻品，雕花

参考例句：

• All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。
• He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。