Oppression?

“A chandelier made from 25,000 tampons might not be everyone’s idea of a centerpiece, but for Joana Vasconcelos it proved a great way of catching the artworld attention at the 2005 Venice Biennale. The Portuguese artist’s London debut features similarly spectacular collisions between showy décor and domesticity as she transforms crochet’s oppressive connotations as something that kept women busy indoors into a medium that threatens to take over the world. She’s covered everything from a baby grand piano to a ceramic lobster with the delicate, handcrafted stuff, and combines it with buttons, pom-poms and more to create the showstopping monster-sculpture, Victoria.” ss

Haunch of Venison, London W1, until 25 September 2010

The Guardian, The Guide, exhibitions, 23 July 2010, p.38