the evolution of web searches

The simplest online search will get you inundated with ads: the machine knows what you want.    Years ago, unpolished algorithms sometimes brought up quirky results. A search for “Art Central America” led me to a concert in Central Park with Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel. A search for mending resulted in medical images - stitching the body, not cloth. That led me to construct my Repair Manual, a cloth book combining mending instructions with medical images (Below).

Generally, I appreciate the ease of the hunt. I can find one image and the machine will provide similar images. But you do lose the quirky serendipity. So…searching:

With my last piece printed, backed and ready to stitch, I’ve started searching for sculptures of women sewing. This would give me a second women’s circle, one focused on textile activity instead of maternal care. I was able to amass a wealth of maternal sculptures, from the beginning of time to current art. There are far fewer statues focused on stitching.

I found a couple of ancient bas reliefs of women with their spindles and looms, and this beauty, Below, but I’m not sure of the gender. I assume they are carrying flax.

There’s a number of public statues, mostly in Europe, showing women engaged in some textile activity:

A monument at the Museum of Lace in Offidato in the Province of Ascoli Piceno, Italy, showing three generations of lace makers.

“Statue of Granny Knitting a Sock” No info on location..

On the island of Crete in the mountain village of Kritz there is a monument to a woman engaged in embroidery.

No info.

Sculpture of Italian lacemakers.

Petras Rimsa's sculpture the Lithuanian school

Despite hours of searching with all the latest algorithms, I couldn’t find sculptures that would work in a circle. But that’s OK, because I came up with another idea that I’m very excited to work on. More about that next week. Meanwhile, here are some sculptures showing textile activity in a very different way - yarn bombing!

Let’s keep those statues warm!

Hope you all had a good holiday, lots of food and little discord.

Stay safe. Stay sane

Diane