Object as Muse Opens in Fife

Object as Muse, an exhibition that presents six different artists' responses to the Asentamiento Dress by textile artist Julie Cook, has opened at Kirkcaldy Museum & Art Gallery.

The Asentamiento Dress is part of 'Duende: A time for healing', a series that was developed by Julie Cook in collaboration with counselling psychologist, Lisa Isaacs.  Influenced by an expressive Andalusian culture and Flamenco song and dance, the Asentamiento Dress provides emotional catharsis to the wearer through the act of performance.

Instructions for the Asentamiento Dress:

1 lift over the head and secure the neck with the knotted string
2 take up the secret arm position
3 to reset the body, apply the internal silk poultice to the solar plexus
4 allow catharsis to take place and lift the skirt when you dance

Artists include Colette Bryce (poetry), David Birkin (photography), Julie Cook (textiles), Dunne & Raby (critical design), Tamsin van Essen (ceramics), Susie MacMurray (installation) and Arabel Lebrusan (jewellery).

This emotionally thought provoking Crafts Council exhibition is brought to Kirkcaldy, it’s only venue in Scotland, by Fife Contemporary Art & Craft. Speaking about the exhibition, director Diana Sykes said "It is particularly appropriate to present an exhibition centred on the potency of an object from a collection and how it can inspire other work within the context of a museum with its own rich collections."

Object as Muse is open from 9 May to 21 June 2009 at Kirkcaldy Museum & Art Gallery, War Memorial Gardens, Abbotshall Rd, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1YG. Open Mon to Sat 10.30am to 5pm, Sunday 2 to 5pm.