Works by Darlene Charneco, Kimberly English, Adebunmi Gbadebo, & Elise Thompson
Curated by Chase Dougherty & Kasia Bunofsky
DuPont I and II Gallery at The Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington, DE
January 12th – April 28th, 2024

“Recrafting” is a chance for us to look closer at the literal and metaphorical structures that direct how we distinguish “art” from “craft”. Art History, a subject predominantly dictated by a western, white, patriarchal society, has established a cultural and educational structure derived from their cultural preferences – and marginalized those that did not. Objects classified as “craft” are often made for functional purposes and constructed of inexpensive materials, rather than the academically-vetted expensive fine art materials to make objects for observation, decoration, and scholarship. This modality of defining and distinguishing art from craft is well-established yet outdated and irrelevant. It prohibits essential, diverse practices and conversation that are reflective of our society today. This exhibition aims to reconfigure our societal, systematic, and academic thought structures by bringing awareness to the visual and literal overlapping of art and craft. The substrate of an artwork is the foundation on which an artist bases their work. That foundation can be a physical surface such as canvas, wood, or fiber. Or it can be figurative, like the ideas, concepts, and history that inspire artists. The four artists presented in Substrate/Structure question established definitions of art through the material substrate and structure of their work. They blur traditional and contemporary methods by utilizing techniques associated with craft, such as ceramics, textiles, and wood, to re-think the artwork’s meaning and message.  Each artist “recrafts” the traditional foundation of an artwork, building a unique image, narrative, and/or process. Darlene Charneco hammers nails into plywood sheets, painting and bending them to catch light in dizzying spirals. Kimberly English weaves ideas and fibers together, draping abstract fabrics and woven tapestries mid-air. Adebunmi Gbadebo uses hair, meshed together and dyed with indigo to tell an intimate story of physical and emotional history. Elise Thompson stretches and plies clear vinyl and layers grading pigments that somehow fade into the distance. Chase Dougherty, January 2024

Documentation by KC Crow Maddux/Art Doc NYC