Emily Comeau @ Hard Twist

Emily Comeau Cat's Cradle, 2012

If you haven't already seen it, Hard Twist is on at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto until January 27, 2013. Hard Twist is a fibre arts exhibition associated with a larger fibre festival based in nearby Oakville.

Emily Comeau's Cat's Cradle must be seen in person to get a sense of the scale. Comeau's piece was the first artwork that I saw as I entered the first exhibition space. The piece measures 48" by 48" and consists of 80 plaster fingers mounted on board with yarn. The work is conceptually brilliant and technically well executed.

Emily Comeau Cat's Cradle detail, 2012

As usual, I'm curious. I'm curious to know if all 80 fingers are different, and whose fingers were cast. I love the roughness of the fingers –– they give the sense that they are the fingers of people who work with theirs hands and in Cat's Cradle, they really are working. After seeing this piece, ordinary string art will never be the same for me.

Emily Comeau Cat's Cradle detail, 2012

Comeau is a Nova Scotia-born artist based in Montreal who graduated from Concordia University with a BFA majoring in Fibre Arts.