MODA is one of those places that always seems to have enthusiastic, young, artsy energy. The gift shop is full of tempting books and products. Because it focuses on design rather than art, MODA has the freedom to showcase riskier or uncommon works. The current exhibit, Threads of Change: Design & Data, is full of textile-based objects. The exhibit runs through Sunday 25 May 2025; that gives you until Memorial Day to get over to see it.
The central object is the Black Gold Tapestry by Sandra Sawatzky. The inspiration is obviously the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting William the Conqueror in 1066. It took Ms. Sawatzky almost a decade to research, design, and execute this magnificent work on eight panels of linen. The embroidery tells the story of oil from the dinosaurs all the way to the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.
Closely observing this work can easily eat up half an hour or more of your visit. I'm impressed by vignettes from assorted times and places all over the world as well as the dinosaurs in the upper and lower friezes.
Margaret and Christine Wertheim from
The Institute for Figuring
contributed four sections of their crocheted coral reef. Three of the four are
colorful, depicting a healthy reef environment. The fourth one is not just the
white color of bleached coral, it is made from trash. Close inspection reveals
much of the crochet is done with plastic bags rather than yarn. This is a
fantastic visual commentary on humanity's relationship with the natural world.
As an artist, I love the use of found materials. Making from what is
available, whatever that might be, is a fundamental creative element of
artistic practice. Artists are often the people who think, "Well, what can I do with this?"
On the ceiling is Net-Work by Adrian Baker. This is a collaborative project, so I immediately thought of The Red Dress. Net-Work is meant to evoke interconnected tree roots. Tree communicate with each other through this underground network that we humans do not see. Each strand in Net-Work is essentially a long scarf. Some are crochet, some knit, some braided. Each one is unique and individual. When interlaced, they create visual delight as colors and textures randomly end up next to each other. Net-Work can also be a reminder of human connectivity, the way each of us is unique and interconnected with other people.
I did not take any pictures of the other items in the exhibit. They include Geoscience Embroideries by Bonnie Peterson, which are velvet quilts hand-embroidered with charts about global climate change, primarily regarding sea ice and permafrost near the north pole.
There are four data-based basketry-based sculptures by Nathalie Miebach. Those works are intricate and complicated. They have data elements, but the sculptures are very much three-dimensional. They demand you walk all the way around them multiple times as you try to understand the complicated weather phenomena that inspired them.
The first
thing you will see at MODA is The Tempestry Project by the Knit Wits from
North Decatur Presbyterian Church. This is a series of temperature scarves
depicting different years in Atlanta. The data covers many decades, giving the
viewer almost a century's worth of perspective on what is or isn't a "typical"
year in Atlanta.
It is a beautiful time of year to be out and about in Atlanta. I highly
recommend treating yourself by taking time to enjoy midtown and, while you are there, dropping in
at MODA to be inspired.
Comments