Striped Cathedral 1977

Editor: This is "Striped Cathedral," a mixed-media painting and textile work by Joyce Kozloff, created in 1977. It's very vibrant, full of color and pattern. The title suggests something grand and architectural, but the textures feel quite domestic, like fabric or wallpaper. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: What I see is Kozloff reclaiming the language of "high art," historically dominated by male artists, and injecting it with traditionally "feminine" crafts. Decorative art, textiles – these were often dismissed as mere domestic pursuits. Editor: So, by calling it "Striped Cathedral," she's making a statement? Curator: Exactly! She's elevating these dismissed forms, placing them within a framework of power and importance, demanding that we recognize their aesthetic and cultural value. What do you notice about the patterns themselves? Editor: They seem geometric, almost architectural. But there's also something almost folk-art like, handmade... less precise than, say, a blueprint. Curator: Precisely! This tension – between the geometric and the organic, the architectural and the domestic – is central to Kozloff's project. She's exploring how cultural values are embedded within visual languages, and who gets to define those languages. Think about the history of cathedrals and their power dynamics... How do you see it in today's art? Editor: I never considered how much power is coded in ornament. The colours definitely feel powerful now, vibrant and political! Curator: Indeed. And that’s a conversation we need to keep having: Who is deemed worthy to create art, and whose artistic expressions are valued and preserved? Editor: Looking at it this way has completely changed my perception of the piece. I had only noticed the colourful composition, but you placed it in an intersectional narrative, reflecting on how cultural values are encoded into the art. Thank you.