Exposure and Material inlay Direction Paris, 17-25 November 2012.
The fledgling association The Genius of Contemporary Marquetry (GEMaC),
chaired by the artist Carole Swarcz and involving a large part of the
best French marquetry and many foreign artists managed to win his bet,
meet in a very short period of time a magnificent exhibition of
marquetry with different aspects of this art. All materials were
invited, mainly wood, but also straw, stone, paper, egg shell, bark etc.
The exhibition was held under the sponsorship of two great artists
marketers today, Jean-Claude Devaux and George Vriz, creator of the
famous method that bears his name
The implementation works was entrusted to Antoine Julians, director of
high reputation who designed the layout of the room so that visitors
can admire the works in the best conditions.
800 people attended the opening adorned with the presence of political
and cultural city of Paris, and close to 2000 visitors took advantage
of the wealth of the works and were able to make fruitful cultural
exchanges, and sometimes trade with French artists, but also from
Germany, Hawaii Islands, United States, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland
were able to present their work.
Finally, four vocational schools in the timber also presented the
achievements of students, which is a great hope for the continuity of
what this beautiful art of marquetry.
Gérard Morin

Les trois dames chinois

For me, marquetry is a living art, a real means of expression, far beyond mere technical skills. Yet, even nowadays, marquetry is perceived by most as a fixed and faded reflection, an image of a somewhat outdated and antiquated craft. But many of us around the world still practice it into the present time. We combine timbers, raw materials, lines, colors, textures, reflects, camaïeux and contrasts. We invent our own style and express our dreams through our creations. We influence and inspire wall art, design furniture, indoor decoration, small objects, parquetry, frames, jewelry… We reveal sensuality, beauty, delicacy or our perception when we create our artwork. We play on all levels: rhythm, volume, graphic art, expressive or abstract pattern, materials, diversity… We offer our enthusiasm, fervor, and our perception of harmony.

Time has come to share our passion!

The Matières et Sens exhibition offers an ideal and unique showcase to present our designers universe to the public. This exhibition is organized by Le Génie de la Marqueterie Contemporaine [GEMAC] Society. For our Society, “open-mindedness” is our adage and we are convinced and dedicated to bring back marquetry to the foreground (where it belongs). And this is possible of course with the help of extraordinary creators and artists who keep exploring new techniques and materials making marquetry evolve everyday.

The  Matières et Sens exhibition will take place next November from the 16th – 25th, 2012. Its aim is to gather the very best of international actual creation in marquetry, to inform our audience – supporters, creators, public and private companies, media – about the infinite wealth and modernity of this form of art expression.

If you wish to present your artwork at this exhibition, please have a look at our website:  http://www.asso-gemac.com/society.php

and download the 2012 call for entry form:

http://www.asso-gemac.com/2012-09-02-dossier-inscription-gb.pd

If you require any further information, feel free to contact me at: + 33 (0)1 48 04 50 22.

See you soon and best regards,

Carole Szwarc

President of Le Génie de la Marqueterie Contemporaine Society

Les trois dames chinois

La marqueterie est pour moi, un art vivant, un véritable mode d’expression, bien au delà d’une simple technique. Or, en ce début du XXIe siècle, l’image qu’en perçoit la majorité du public n’est qu’un reflet figé et défraîchi, l’image d’une tradition un peu désuète et jaunissante. Pourtant, nous sommes nombreux à travers le monde à conjuguer la marqueterie au présent. Nous jonglons avec les matériaux, les lignes, les couleurs, les textures, les reflets, les camaïeux, les contrastes… Nous affirmons nos propres styles. Nous exprimons nos rêves au travers de nos créations. Nous pénétrons l’art mural, le mobilier design, l’agencement ou la décoration d’intérieur, la tabletterie, la parqueterie, l’encadrement, les bijoux… Nous révélons la sensualité, la beauté, la délicatesse ou la prestance par notre interprétation de la marqueterie, en jouant sur tous ses registres et ses partitions : rythme, volume, art graphique, dessin expressif ou abstrait, richesse des matériaux … Nous exposons notre fougue, nos délires, ou notre perception de l’harmonie.

Il est grand temps de le faire savoir!

Le salon “Matières et Sens,”  organisé par l’association Le Génie de la Marqueterie Contemporaine, offre une vitrine idéale et unique pour présenter au public notre univers de créateur, si particulier. L’Ouverture constitue le maître-mot de cette manifestation.  Elle doit installer durablement la marqueterie au premier plan des arts, grâce au formidable potentiel des créateurs qui en ont fait leur mode d’expression artistique quotidien et qui la font évoluer en explorant de nouvelles pistes techniques, esthétiques, ou en utilisant de nouveaux matériaux.

Le salon “Matières et Sens” se déroulera à Paris du 16 au 25 novembre 2012. Il a pour ambition de réunir la quintessence internationale de la création contemporaine en marqueterie afin de dévoiler au public, amateurs, collectionneurs, professionnels … l’infinie richesse et la modernité de ce mode d’expression.

Dans la mesure où vous souhaitez présenter vos créations à cette manifestation, je vous invite à consulterle site du projet : http://asso-gemac.com/association.php

Vous pourrez même télécharger, si vous le souhaitez, un dossier de participation.

http://asso-gemac.com/2012-08-12-dossier-inscription-fr.pdf

Marquetry rooster

Je me tiens aussi à votre disposition pour vous communiquer toutes les informations dont vous pourriez avoir besoin. N’hésitez pas à me contacter au :  +33 (0)1 48 04 50 22.

Avec mes cordiales salutations,

Carole SZWARC

Présidente de l’association : Le Génie de la Marqueterie Contemporaine.

Le Génie de la Marqueterie Contemporaine

14 rue de la Corderie

75 003 Paris

01 48 04 50 22

contact@asso-gemac.com

www.asso-gemac.com

International Straw Festival in Serbia

The beginnings of the sixth International Straw Festival are currently being planned for August of 2014. Although it is seemingly far away, we want to give everyone the opportunity to plan ahead. The Matija Gubec which is the organization of straw works of the women of Tavenkut will host a week long festival of teaching, cultural events and sharing. For straw people this is a great opportunity to witness and learn some of the amazing technique of the “Strawgirls” of Tavenkut. For people who enjoy culture it will be a wonderful opportunity to see some of the straw crafts and culture as wells as the amazing architecture of the country.  The festival will be open to everyone.

In addition to the trip to Serbia, plans are being made to go to Hungary and visit the straw museum at Zengovarkony. Special programs are being created by our sister museum there and curator Tünde Tüskés. In addition, plans are being made for an additional trip to Prague in the Czech Republic to see the straw embroidered Chasuble in the capital’s Cathedral. More information will be forth coming as the programs are organized

Summer Straw Oak Leaf

As Summer comes to are world heat will soon be a factor and many people will be searching for a nice shady oak to rest under for shade. So here is a fun simple project that anyone can do. First make several splints of straw about 3/16 wide. Place five of them at a vertical tilt in keeping with the picture of one side of leaf above. Next thread several pieces at a flat horizontal point until you have about one inch of straws combined in a basket weave effect. Do the same for the opposite half of the leaf. Glue the horizontal and vertical splints of straw to the one they are are on top or bottom so that your basketweave does not slip.

Now glue a wider strip underneath the leaf so that both halves are combined into one. Take an oak leaf paper punch and center the basketweave in the center of the leaf pattern and punch it out. The leaf that comes out will have a nice plaited look and be a real lovely leaf for a lot of your fun projects.

Straw Masks have been the part of many cultures around the world.  They are used for festival, ceremonies, or just for the plan joy of the mask itself.  The American Museum of Straw Art has a large selection of straw masks from around the world. Each is its own beauty and uniqueness.

Lada, Goddess of Love is a mask from Belarus. It was created in 2004 by a 14 year old Andrey Rozum of Minsk. It uses split straw as a means of appliqué with woven borders and beads.

This untitled mask is created by Marya Kravchuk of Tulychic Village of Turiysk, Ukraine and is one of the best masks we have in the collection. 

This fish mask is a delightfully different mask that has some great motion and depth to it. Created by Ludmilla Stukalova and is known as Vodianyk – Master of the Lake. She too is from Tulychic Village of Turiysk, Ukraine.

Another of our favorite masks is the “Spirit Mask” made from millet straw from West Africa. It was worn by young boys who had their faces muddied and danced to scare away evil spirit from the new year’s crops.

This straw appliqué mask is one of our most intricate masks and was painstakingly created by the late Amir Kumar K.C. who tragically lost his young life last year. It is a treasure from someone of great talent who is now passed from our gaze.

In  the history of straw customs one of the most universal is the need for Winter to end.  The seemingly long cold season soon gives way to a new season of warmth and growth.  Part of many rural places in the world have their own customs for hurrying that along. Some places like Germany, have a straw bear that they parade out of town. This is in hopes that Winter will follow and leave. Probably the hibernating bear seemed a fitting symbol of Winter. Yet, many of these customs have survived in the straw customs of rural towns associated in the last few centuries with Carnival. The last day of feasting before Lent is a time when a great deal of these customs can be seen. In Germany it is know as Fastnacht (sometimes also referred to as Germany’s Fifth Season. In Slovakia it is known as Fasiangy and in Lithuanian as Užgav?n?s.

These three costumes can be seen in the following pictures. The straw coat and cap from Germany is called a Stohglonki suit and is mainly used by the dancers of the event.  The costume of the Slovak people is a wonderful bishop like straw costume. Made of rye is seldom seen except in very rural parts of the country. The women’s costume for the Lithuanian carnival known as Užgavenes is worn by a young women in the village who runs through the fields to banish evil spirits before the planting can commence. Each of these costume are a part of the agricultural rural costumes in the American Museum of Straw Art.

Festival of the Wagon

Made of wood structure and plaited straw, these are among the most intricate examples of straw work in all of Europe. Held in place with tethered cables for stability nearly 80% of the tower is visible over a large crowd. This event is the 3rd Saturday of September in Mirabella Eclano and is a must see for anyone interested in folk art of straw art.

Festa Del Carro

Among the many head ware pieces in the American Museum of Straw Art collection are its beautiful crowns. Traditional plaited straw creations from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, they are worn for many festival settings. Most often, however, they are traditional for Wedding celebrations and are worn by the bride. Grains have long been a part of wedding celebrations as they represent fertility and are associated with marriage. Here we have a poppy and leaf headdress of Marya Kravchuk of Ukraine and a crown from Belarus created by Tamara Bludovy of Grodno.

Victorian Fichu collar

By Morgyn Owens-Celli

Lace Fichu, circa 1870

This collar (part of a private collection) is a great example of straw adorned fichu collars. Once created in Bohemian Lace and embroidered with splints of straw or couched elements of straw, in the later 19^th century era were replaced with appliqué straw.

For a long time it has been suggested that these later 19^th century “cut-outs” of straw were created because of a lack skills available to do a more standard straw embroidery that had been done since the 15^th century. However, those who do profess this do not take into account that the more regular type of straw embroidery was practice, at least in some capacity, by 20^th century fashion houses such as Dior well into the 1950s. It is likely that a few conditions were to make this type of flat straw embroidery popular. First, it is far less labor intensive than the more standard straw embroidery. In the mid-to late-Victorian Era, competition for fashion was severe. Those who wanted to compete with the flood of imports from Asia and the well-established fashion houses of France had to create an equally beautiful look at a much cheaper price for the customer. In addition, flattened straw punches could yield a tremendous amount of materials for a more varied design amidst particular items such as this fichu collar. The more likely reason for the introduction of appliqué straw embroidery is that it shows a larger area of the straw and the patina and shine would therefore be a beautiful design.

Fichu detail

Punched straw elements certainly predate this collar, which is likely to have been made somewhere around 1870. The first sequins that were made for clothing were made of straw. This occurred on occasion in as early as 17^th century work, but more properly gained some use in the Regency Period of England. The sporadic use of the flattened straw embroidery indicates either an unsuccessful replacement of a more standard straw embroidery, or simply a change in fashion.

The Straw Treasury in Zengövárkony (Hungary) is 10 years old!

“Culture cannot be inherited. The culture of our ancestors soon vanishes unless each generation obtains it for themselves” - Kodály Zoltán

In the spring of 2002 a unique collection of items made from straw was opened in Zengövárkony, a beautiful little village in southern Hungary. It is a nicely displayed exhibition on two floors of a renovated 150 year old stable, where visitors can see some 600 objects originating from 25 countries of the world, all made from straw. The collection opens up a nearly forgotten slice of cultural, historical heritage of the world: the functional and artistic use of straw. Surprised visitors can witness the unity between form and function, mastership and artistic talent. About 7-9000 people come to the museum a year, most of them are school children, who can also learn the basic steps of straw plaiting and several other artistic ways of creating something beautiful from straw. It gives hope to the curators that the art will not disappear in this part of the world. The 10 years’ anniversary is going to be celebrated all year around: there was a Straw-Jam festival in March, several unique items will be on display in Budapest, a summer camp will be organised for families. Those members of the straw family working very hard on the success of the museum went on a festive meal together, where paging through the photo album, the best moments could be relived. The list of plans is endless, and the original main aim will hopefully be served for several more decades.

Tüskés Tünde curator

Szalmalekvár 2010 Okt. 05

Boldog születésnapot!

10 éves a zengövárkonyi Szalma-Kincs-Tár

„A kultúrát nem lehet örökölni. Az elödök kultúrája egy-kettöre elpárolog, ha minden nemzedék újra meg újra meg nem szerzi azt magának.”  (Kodály Z.)

2002 tavaszán egy Európában egyedülálló muzeális gyüjtemény nyílt Zengpövárkonyban, ebben a gyönyörü dél-magyarországi faluban.  A kiállítás egy 150 éves, szépen felújított kétszintes istálló épületben kapott helyet, ahol a látogatók közel 600 szalmából készült tárgyat láthatnak a világ 25 országából. A gyüjtemény a népek kulturális, történeti hagyományainak egy majdnem elfeledett szeletét hozza vissza a bemutatott használati, kultikus és müvészi dísztárgyakon keresztül. Az ámuló látogatók tanúi lehetnek a kiállított szalmamunkákon látható forma és funkció, a mesterség és müvészi tehetség tökéletes egységének. Évente közel 7-9000 látogató jön el a múzeumba, köztük sok gyerek, akik megismerkedhetnek a szalmafonás alapjaival is, s készíthetnek valami szépet az egyszerü szalmaszálból.  Ez ad hitet a múzeum fenntartóinak, hogy a szalmafonás müvészete nem fog kihalni a világ ezen táján se. A 10 éves születésnapot egész éves rendezvénysorozattal ünnepeljük, melynek nyitó eseménye – Szalmalekvár Fesztivál – márciusban zajlott. A múzeum Budapesten is be fog mutatkozni egy reprezentatív kiállítással, nyáron pedig tábort szervezünk.. A múzeumért legtöbbet tevö munkatársak egy ünnepi vacsorával köszöntötték a 10 éves múzeumot, ahol nevetés és könnyek kísérték az eltelt idöszak eseményeit bemutató fotóalbum lapozgatását. A múzeumnak sok terve van, melyekkel a szalmafonást akarja népszerüsíteni és segíteni, hogy még több évtizedig szolgálhassa a nép-és iparmüvészet e különleges ágának a fennmaradását.

Tüskés Tünde múzeum alapító