Guild Hall in East Hampton presents a lineup of exhibitions, including “Spin a Yarn” in the Marks Family Gallery North and “Ted Carey: Queer as Folk” in the Marks Family Gallery North/Tito Spiga Exhibition Space, on view from May 19 through July 14. Guild Hall members are invited to a preview on Saturday, May 18, from noon to 5 PM.
“Spin a Yarn,” curated by Estrellita Brodsky, PhD, founder and director of ANOTHER SPACE, New York, with Raúl Martinez, takes its title from an expression believed to have originated in sailors’ practice of telling stories, often tall tales, while repairing ropes during long sea voyages. Delving into the complex relationship between textile labor and storytelling, the exhibition examines the use of textiles as vehicles for the preservation of memories and knowledge. The terms textile and text are derived from the Latin texere (to weave), and while Western cultures have historically prioritized the written word, many others, particularly in Latin America, have relied on a rich tradition of using threads, knots, and woven materials to record and transmit information.
“Spin a Yarn” brings together a diverse selection of fiber-based works. Some of the artists featured reflect on the weavings and feather works of pre-Hispanic cultures as precursors of geometric abstraction, while others explore and build on the embroidery and weaving techniques employed by indigenous peoples across Latin America as a means of advocating for the protection of these communities and the environment. The exhibition casts light on the enduring significance of fiber arts in the modernist canon and the profound impact of indigenous and pre-Hispanic weaving traditions on the development of contemporary art.
Indebted to the foresight and generosity of Ted Carey’s longtime partner Tito Spiga, “Ted Carey: Queer as Folk,” organized by guest curator Matthew Nichols, PhD, draws from the Tito Spiga Bequest to Guild Hall. It surveys Carey’s art for the first time since 1985, when an East Hampton gallery mounted a memorial show of his paintings in the days following his death from AIDS.
Born and raised in Chester, Pennsylvania, Edward “Ted” Fawcett Carey (1932–1985) moved to New York in 1955. There, he pursued a career in graphic design, forged a close friendship with Andy Warhol, and later developed a distinctive mode of painting informed by his keen interest in American folk art. While living between New York and East Hampton in the 1970s and 1980s, Carey produced a small yet compelling body of work that mimics aspects of vernacular painting, chronicles his life and relationships, and pictures facets of queer culture. Sharply observed and highly detailed, Carey’s faux-naïf paintings depict places he frequented and people he admired. Several canvases document his favorite haunts in New York and his home in East Hampton. Other paintings function as portraits and celebrate the creative lives of gay men.
“Until now, Ted Carey has been something of an art historical footnote due to his friendship and association with Andy Warhol,” shared curator Matthew Nichols. “The paintings he produced in the last decade of his life are both fastidious and fascinating. They are not widely known and came to my attention after Guild Hall fully digitized its permanent collection. I am glad for this opportunity to work with Guild Hall, to help remedy Ted Carey’s obscurity, and to share his creative achievement with a larger audience.”
For a complete list of programming, visit guildhall.org.