Artist Interview: Linda Tien
Artist Interview: Linda Tien
The Mix
Linda joined The Mix to talk about the exhibit Collaboration and the process behind Im-ple-ment. Linda Tien and Ellen Kleckner worked together to create works of art that explore tools, utensils, and other pieces of equipment used for a particular purpose. It is also an example of what occurs when two makers with different studio backgrounds collaborate on a common subject, as Linda told us in our interview.
The Im-ple-ment Archive
https://www.instagram.com/implement_archive/
The Im-ple-ment Archive is an evolving collaborative exploration of tools, utensils, and other pieces of equipment used for a particular purpose between visual artists Ellen Kleckner and Linda Tien. Applying an intuitive consideration to the familiar visual vocabulary established by a lineage of makers, through process and material, the archive calls question to the commonplace or recognizable through the investigation of form, textures, composition, and materials. Through altering familiar materials and forms, the archive acts as documentation to share the evolution of utility, form, function, and maker through the employment of cooperative play and exploration paired with traditional practice and material. Implements in the archive utilize a variety of media including clay, wood, metal, fibers, and found materials.
The collaboration is not only an example of how traditional materials are combined in a contemporary investigation but also how two makers negotiate the combination of different materials. The Im-ple-ment Archive is more than just a collection of handmade tools; it is a contemporary exploration of traditional craft mediums, techniques, and formats. It is also an example of the magic that can occur when two makers with different studio backgrounds collaborate on a common subject. The evolution of the Im-ple-ment Archive is documented through its digital presence, including a website (im-ple-ment.com) and social media platforms (@implement_archive). An open dialogue regarding utility, purpose, material, form, and practice is encouraged through the digital existence of this project, drawing people to engage with implements in their own space.
Collaborators
LINDA TIEN
LINDA TIEN is a visual artist from Fort Worth, TX. Currently, Linda resides in Bloomington, IN where she is the Program Coordinator at the Grunwald Gallery of Art at Indiana University. She studied metalsmithing and jewelry design at Texas Tech University and Indiana University. Linda previously has served as the Exhibitions Artist-in-Residence at the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, TN. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally including venues such as The Cole Art Center, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, The Appalachian Center for Craft, Vanderbilt University, The Museum of Fine Art Houston, The Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, and more.
ELLEN KLECKNER
ELLEN KLECKNER is a ceramic artist and currently serves as the Executive Director of The Iowa Ceramics Center in Cedar Rapids, IA. She studied at Ohio University, the University of Nebraska Lincoln, and the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, TN. Her work and studies have received several awards and she has exhibited throughout the nation. Additionally, she been selected for artist-in-residencies at Flux Factory (NY) and International Ceramic Studio (Hungary).
