Orly Cogan

Orly Cogan is an Israeli-American fiber artist who works with and combines multiple mediums.[1] She is best known for crafting hand stitched embroidered figures on top of previously embroidered vintage fabrics.[2]

Orly Cogan
Born1971 (age 49–50)
Education1990-94 BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art
1992-93 The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science
1992 Art Scuola di Leonardo da Vinci, Florence, Italy
Known forFeminist Mixed Media Pieces
MovementFiber Art
Websiteorly cogan

Early life and education

Orly Cogan was born in Jaffa, Israel in 1971.[1] Cogan attended a Rudolf Steiner Waldorf School [3] in her youth, attributing this education to her discovery of textiles as a medium.[4] She stated, "The sense of freedom I felt to explore without fear of getting things wrong meant that I could become comfortable expressing myself visually."[4] Cogan lives and works in Hudson Valley, New York.[1] She was educated at The Cooper Union for Advancement of Science & Art and The Maryland Institute College of Art.

Career

Style

Cogan begins with vintage fabrics which served as table runners, bureau scarves and tablecloths, and had already been embroidered by an earlier and more circumscribed generation of women. Cogan then transforms the "women's work" pieces with modern images, statements about gender identity, and role models for today's woman.

Themes

Cogan typically mixes themes of old and new, to find modern feminist inspiration though "old fashioned" pieces of women's handiwork. Her work is "drawn to dichotomies, such as soft and tough, dirty and clean, fantasy and reality, especially as they relate to gender. [My work] explores common feminine archetypes and stereotypes such as Madonna/Whore, Pin-Up Girl, Lolita, and the Femme Fatale. Searching for that odd thing, the Feminist Beauty Queen, I mix subversion with flirtation, humor with power, and intimacy with frivolity, and in doing so I often straddle an ironic edge."[2]

Discussing her 2018-2019 exhibit "Don't Call Me Princess" at Brattleboro Museum & Art Center in Brattleboro, Vermont Cogan stated, "Ultimately, my quest is to tell a story about the role of women in our ever-changing society, all the while honoring the labors of the past. In the process, I aim to provoke certain questions within the context of constantly shifting boundaries that define our relationships and our identities: What role do women want to play in society today? Who do we want to be? What kind of relationships do we want to have? Who are our role models? What are we teaching our children? American women have grown up with fairy tales in our heads, and somehow that “happily ever after” idea is instilled early on. With my own daughter I saw how strongly princesses infiltrated her play, although she had no direct exposure to Disney movies or theme parks. I edited the few fairy tales we had, changing the sexist stories to empowering ones for my child's ears."[5]

Reception

Orly Cogan's work has been called post-modern feminist,[6] sensual,[7] wholesome, and erotically charged.[8]

Work

Major exhibitions

Solo

Featured

  • 2012 - "Cross Currents" Memphis College of Art, curated by Jennifer Sargent
  • 2010 - "Narrative Thread," during "Fiber Philadelphia" Wexler Gallery, PA
  • 2009 - "I Want Candy" Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau Wisconsin
  • 2008 - "She Will Always be Younger Than Us" "Undomestic" Peppers Gallery, University of Redlands,California
  • 2007 - "Pricked: Extreme Embroidery" Museum of Arts and Design, New York NY.
    • "I Want Candy" Hudson River Museum of Art curated by Bartholomew F. Bland New York
    • Elizebeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art"
  • 2006 - Brooklyn Museum digital feminist art archive project
    • "Strangers to Ourselves" curated by Julia Tratta Kimmel Center Gallery NY, NY

References
  1. "Orly Cogan - About - Biography". Orly Cogan. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  2. "Orly Cogan - Biography". Carl Hammer Gallery. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  3. McKinstry, Katiee (July 11, 2018). "Spotlight: Artist Orly Cogan". Funky Feminist. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  4. Jane (January 28, 2019). "Orly Cogan: Feminist fantasy on 'forgotten' fabrics (interview)". TextileArtist.org. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  5. "Orly Cogan: Don't Call Me Princess". Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  6. Orly Cogan - Love Street, Charlie James Gallery, retrieved June 9, 2019
  7. Knight, Christopher (June 10, 2010), "Art review: Orly Cogan @ Charlie James Gallery", Culture Monster: All Arts, All the Time, Los Angeles Times
  8. "Orly Cogan - Biography", Re-Title.com, archived from the original on March 23, 2016
  9. Mitchell, Allyson; Sorkin, Jennifer; Quinton, Sarah (2009). When women rule the world: Judy Chicago in thread (with work by Orly Cogan, Wednesday Lupypciw, Cat Mazza, Gillian Strong, and Ginger Brooks Takahashi). Toronto: Textile Museum of Canada / ABC Art Books Canada. ISBN 9780973665697.
  10. She Will Always Be Younger Than Us, The Textile Art Museum of Canada, retrieved June 9, 2019
  11. When Women Rule The World: Judy Chicago in Thread, The Textile Art Museum of Canada, retrieved June 9, 2019


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