A New York Minute: Never Ending Story Art Installation

New York City is one of the most creative cities in the world and I was recently reminded that presenting great art isn't the exclusive domain of large museums and galleries.  If you're in the Big Apple, I highly recommend Contaminate NYC's current exhibition Never Ending Story - it will be on display until October 15th at the Kristin Hanson Gallery (by appointment only, call 646 248 3679). Contaminate NYC is a social platform for immersive art experiences that challenges traditional boundaries by redefining artistic happenings and contaminating art forms, ideas, cultures, and aesthetics on a global level.

Created by London based textile artist and knitwear designer Chia-Shan Lee, the Never Ending Story installation won the environmental track of Contaminate NYC's 100 Hundred Days international contest for emerging artists. Inspired by both the concept of information overload in contemporary society and the waste of resources associated with the production of newspapers, Never Ending Story narrates a contemporary fairy-tale employing newspaper yarns as story-telling material.

I was amazed at how Chia-Shan created complex pieces of clothing and sculptures from the newspaper yarn. The garments have an earthy, organic and dream-like quality but are actually wearable pieces of clothing. In fact, the opening night of Never Ending Story featured dancers performing in the dresses and the fabrics conveyed both fragility and strength as the extremely agile dancers moved.

 

A dancer on the move in a Chia-Shan Lee design

An elaborate yet streamlined design from the Never Ending Story exhibition.


Founders of Contaminate NYC Elena Avesani (far left) and Alessandro Spreafico (far right) with artist Chia-Shan Lee (in black) with dancers wearing her creations.

Never Ending Story can be viewed until October 15, 2012 at the Kristin Hanson Gallery at 60 Reade Street in Tribeca by appointment only. Call 646-248-3679 to schedule a viewing. The dancers won't be there but imagine them bringing the designs to life as you view the pieces!