Markle @ Soft, MSVU

Gary Markle, Conical Fields 1998-2000

Soft was an exhibition of textile-based work by Gary Markle, Anna Torma, Colette Whiten, Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky from the Mount Saint Vincent University collection, curated by Katie Belcher and held in the upper MSVU art gallery. A pocket-sized catalogue complete with essays and colour photographs accompanied the exhibit. MSVU is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia and I caught the show just before it ended in mid-August.

Conical Fields was constructed with orange velvet and stuffed with foam chips. He was inspired by the work of Naoko Furue, Elspeth Pratt, Martha Townsend, and Yayoi Kusama.

Gary Markle, Conical Fields 1998-2000 detail

Gary Markle, Shag-Rag Rug 1995

Shag-Rag Rug was woven on a narrow loom that Markle constructed from discarded hockey sticks and other refuse. He used synthetic carpet yarn from an out-of-business mill for the warp. The weft is comprised of cloth strips from clothing donated by NSCAD students. Shag-Rag Rug was part of Markle's MFA Thesis project in Textiles at NSCAD. He graduated in 1995 and now is an Assistant Professor in the Textiles/Fashion department at NSCAD.

Gary Markle, Shag-Rag Rug 1995 detail

Shag-Rag Rug is versatile in how it is exhibited. I've seen it laid out flat on the ground and in the August show it looks like a creature trying to escape the gallery. Markle has also worn it over his shoulders in his performance art.