Worry dolls

Art portfolio- my work, Studio news/blog

The concept of the ‘worry doll’ also known as ‘trouble dolls’, served as inspiration of these works.

Blonde ambition aka red right hand – worry doll 87 x 23 cm fabric, found objects, cotton thread, synthetic hair and rubber 2018

Blonde ambition detail

Blonde ambition detail 1

The worry dolls originated in Guatemala and Mexico, and refers to a Mayan princess named Ixucane. The princess received a small gift from the sun god which would allow her to solve any problem a human could worry about.

Raison d’ etre – worry doll 44 x 21 x 37 cm 2018 fabric, found objects, cotton thread and rubber

raison d’ etre detail 1

Raison d’ etre detail

In modern times these worry dolls are given to broody and sorrowful children so that they can tell these dolls about their sorrow, fears and worries. Then hide the dolls under their pillows during the night. The next morning all sorrows are said to have been taken away by the worry/trouble dolls.

Pushing up the daisies – worry doll 68 x 25 x 21 cm fabric, found items, cotton thread and rubber 2018

Pushing up the daisies detail 1

Pushing up the daisies detail

if only it were that easy, right?!

Who cares – worry doll 60 x 47 x fabric, found objects, cotton thread and rubber 2018

Fly by night – worry doll 76 x 37 x 16 cm fabric, found objects, cotton thread and rubber 2018

installation view at 99 Loop gallery

for more info feel free to contact 99 Loop gallery

A knot of snakes

Art portfolio- my work

(k)not of snakes 215 x 108 cm cotton thread and rubber 2018

detail 1

detail 2

detail 3

detail 4

Currently showing at 99 Loop gallery as part of my solo exhibition “Minutes to Midnight”. Until 27 October 2018

Installation view

Dear Mother City…(Minutes to Midnight)

Studio news/blog

Dear Mother City, (aka Cape Town)

I visited you earlier in October, and I must say it was an experience I wouldn’t forget.

The energy in mid-city is quite contagious and at the same time exhausting, and the traffic intense. As a small-town girl, I think I could not handle it for more than a week, but I suppose one can get used to it.

She always wanted to be a bad girl 92 x 64 cm cotton thread and rubber 2018

Your inhabitants were very supportive, kind, generous and made me feel welcome.

I even spotted this guy in one of your museums and he laughed his ass of at me for feeling so overwhelmed:

Taxidermy Hyena at the Iziko Museum – Cape Town

And I almost lost my head to a hippo…

Luckily my friend made me a concoction of some Bach-flower remedies for the nerves.

Bach remedies

and I channeled some horse-power with a Mary Sibande sculpture:

Moi with a Mary Sibande sculpture at the Iziko Art Museum

I did not see and experience half as much as I wanted to, but I did have a blast at the opening night of my solo exhibition Minutes to Midnight at 99 Loop gallery!

A big thank you to everyone who came to the opening night, and those who couldn’t make it to the opening, the exhibition runs until the 27th of October, so please feel free to pop in.

Her dark side 141 x 95 cm cotton thread, batting and rubber 2018 (private collection)

P.S ever wondered why Cape Town is known as the Mother City? Well, if you follow this link there’s 6 reasons why.

Minutes to Midnight….You are invited!

Art portfolio- my work, Studio news/blog

Invitation

I, Hannalie Taute, cordially invite you, and your friends, and friends of your friends, to the opening of my solo exhibition: Minutes to Midnight.

When: 3 October 2018

Time: 6 pm

Where: 99 Loop Gallery, 99 Loop street, Cape Town

Telephone: 021 422 3766 or email: gallery@99loop.co.za for more info.

I look forward to see you.

Drinks will be served.

Minutes to Midnight and World Embroidery Day

Art portfolio- my work, Studio news/blog

Minutes to midnight 215 x 106 cm cotton thread, doillies and rubber 2018

Minutes to Midnight is the title of the work above as well as the title for my upcoming solo exhibition at 99 Loop Gallery in Cape Town.

minutes to midnight detail

For a long time my thoughts centered around the words “Minutes to midnight” as a title for a possible solo show, and after many attempts, planning, and discussions the works of the past few years (some new, some reworked) all fit together and finally I am looking forward to present the body of work soon (October 2018).

“Minutes to Midnight” is basically a continuation of my investigation of fear, which in turn lead me to the notion of time and eventually to the meaning behind the words: “Minutes to midnight” which actually refers to the symbolic clock used by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. This symbolic clock represents the countdown to a potential global catastrophe, and refers to this catastrophe as “Midnight”. It is currently standing on 2 minutes to Midnight.

Midnight in turn also reminded me about all the fairytales in which when the clock strikes 12 the magic disappears.

Minutes to midnight detail

But before you think it is all gloom and doom in this post, I have something uplifting to share with you as well:

I found out this morning, that it is World Embroidery Day today! I saw it on a fellow embroiderer’s Instagram account*, and decided to google it to find out more.

The origins of the World Embroidery Day date back to 30 June 2011 and was an initiative of the Swedish Embroidery Guild, to celebrate embroidery (what a wonderful idea). I even found their Embroidery Manifesto which I would like to share with you:

embroidery_manifesto_-english (1)

Or you can visit this website to Download in 5 other languages:

http://www.broderiakademin.nu/worldembroideryday/