Scottsdale Civic Center Library

April 11 – July 11, 2009
The Gallery @ the Library, Scottsdale Civic Center Library, Scottsdale, AZ
Person among reef sculpture in overhead shot

Detail of “The People’s Reef” featuring the New York Reef and Chicago Reef.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

The Scottsdale Reef, the New York Reef and the Chicago Reef installed in the The Gallery @ The Library in the Scottsdale Civic Center, 2009. Photos by Anna Mayer.

Archival page – still under construction

The Institute For Figuring is pleased to announce that the Crochet Reef will be showing in Scottsdale AZ during spring and summer 2009. This is the Reef’s first exhibition in a desert state and we are thrilled that these handcrafted sea forms will be in a setting surrounded by the magnificent cactus gardens of the Scottsdale Civic Center complex. The exhibition will also feature the debut of the brand new Scottsdale Reef that has been constructed by citizens of Arizona in the months leading up to this show. This is the biggest exhibition of the project to date and includes the work of almost 500 people.

On display, in addition to the IFF’s Core Reef Collection, is also the New York Reef, the Chicago Reef, and the newly minted Scottsdale Reef. These three magnificent Satellite Reefs are displayed here in a gigantic atoll-like configuration that we collectively term “The People’s Reef.”

This exhibition is presented by Scottsdale Public Art.

See exhibition webpage
Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

The New York Reef and the Chicago Reef (detail). In the background is Dr Axt’s Whiticus-Reeficus – Reefer Madness II.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

The totality of “The People’s Reef” – a conglomeration of the Scottsdale Reef, the New York Reef and the Chicago Reef. Hanging above is a forest of video-tape kelp by Christine Wertheim and Evelyn Hardin. Along the back wall are cases displaying the IFF’s “precious” collection of special coral marvels.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

“The People’s Reef” (foreground). In the background is the IFF’s Ladies Silurian Atoll. Hanging above is Helen Bernasconi’s 30 foot long hyperbolic Sea Monster and Marianne Midelberg’s timeless mound of carnation coral.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

Detail of the Scottsdale Reef.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

The totality of the Scottsdale Reef—the collective work of more than 250 citizens of Arizona (and a few would-be Arizonans, from as far away as Australia).

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

Voodoo-alter feature of the New York/Chicago Reef conglomeration, with “bunny ears” model borrowed from the Scottsdale Reef. Helen Bernasconi’s Sea Monster hangs in the background.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

Detail of “The People’s Reef” featuring the New York Reef and Chicago Reef.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

Evelyn Hardin’s White-Spire Tubeworm Grove along with “cup coral” clusters by an Arizona Reefer.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

The IFF’s Branched Anemone Garden (left) and Plastic Exploding Inevitable Reef (at right).

Detail of crochet coral reef sculptures installed on plinth in gallery.

The Plastic Exploding Inevitable Reef, featuring hot pink Jelly-Yarn sand by Kathleen Greco. Hanging above are video-tape kelps by Christine Wertheim and an exquisite flock of plastic jellyfish forms by Arlene Minzter.

Detail of crochet coral reef sculptures installed on plinth in gallery.

The IFF’s “Toxic Reef”, featuring plastic-bag amenones by UK Reefers Lucinda Ganderton, Beverly Griffiths and Katy Bevan; plastic-bag corals by NY Reefer Siew Chu Kerk; plastic trash kelp forms by Christine Wertheim and Ranu Mukherjee’s class at CCA; wall-mounted diatom forms (made from plastic shower-curtain rings and cable ties) by Evelyn Hardin.

Detail of crochet coral reef sculptures installed on plinth in gallery.

Christine installing the IFF’s “Toxic Reef”, her curatorial masterpiece.

Detail of crochet coral reef sculptures installed on plinth in gallery.

The Blue Reef, made from used New York Times plastic bags by LA Reefer Clare O’Callaghan.

Installation view of plastic trash artwork installed in corner of the gallery.

The IFF’s Midden—two years’ worth of Margaret and Christin’e domestic plastic trash piled into a heap and adorned with plastic crochet Midden Monsters by Evelyn Hardin and Christine Wertheim. Decorating the Midden are large shrink-wrap anemones by Pate Conaway and exquisitely delicate sea-scapes painted onto discarded plastic takeout boxes and wrappers by California artist Alicia Escott.

Installation view of crochet coral reef sculptures in large gallery space.

Evelyn Hardin’s White-Spire Tubeworm Grove with Dr Axt’s Reefer Madness hanging above.

Crochet coral reef sculpture hanging on wall underneath

Nancy Lewis’s enigmatic sea monster points the way to the digital future.

Detail of crochet coral reef sculptures installed on plinth in gallery.

Ladies Silurian Atoll (detail), featuring giant orange coral by Christine Wertheim and white spires by Evelyn Hardin.

Detail of crochet coral reef sculptures installed on plinth in gallery.

Ladies Silurian Atoll (detail), featuring anemone tree by Chicago Reefers, felted coral pieces by Helle Jorgensen, and rubble corals by Margaret and Christine.

Core IFF Reef Contributors to the Scottsdale exhibition

  • Christine Wertheim and Margaret Wertheim (CA, Australia)
  • Daina Taimina (NY)
  • Sarah Simons (CA)
  • Evelyn Hardin (TX)
  • Dr Axt (OR)
  • Heather McCarren (CA)
  • Helen Bernasconi (Australia)
  • Marianne Midelburg (Australia)
  • Barbara Wertheim (Australia)
  • Helle Jorgensen (Australia)
  • Anitra Menning (CA)
  • Shari Porter (CA)
  • Vonda N. McIntyre (WA)
  • Ildiko Szabo (UK)
  • Nancy Lewis (VT)
  • Sue Von Ohlsen (VA)
  • Rebecca Peapples (MI)
  • Clare O’Callaghan (CA)
  • Eleanor Kent (CA)
  • Kathleen Greco (PA)
  • Aviva Alter (IL)
  • Catherine Chandler (IL)
  • Nadia Severns (NY)
  • Arlene Mintzer (NY)
  • Anita Bruce (UK)

With

  • Alicia Escott
  • Erika and Monika Simmons
  • Pate Conaway
  • Paula Peng
  • Allie Gerlach
  • Spring Pace
  • David Orozco
  • Karen Frazer
  • Karen Page
  • Lynn Latta
  • Barbara Robinson
  • Kristine Brandel
  • Cindy Bennish
  • Diana Simons
  • Dagmar Frinta
  • Jill Schreier
  • Pamela Stiles
  • Barbara Van Elsen
  • Njoya Angrum
  • Siew Chu Kerk
  • Jessica Stapp
  • Kat Ramsland
  • Barbara Wakesfield
  • Amber Reyes
  • Ranu Mukherjee’s class at CCA
  • Katy Bevan
  • Rosy Sykes
  • Beverly Griffiths
  • Denise Quinn
  • Sara Noble
  • Lucinda Ganderton
  • Christina Bliss
  • Lily M. Chin
  • Sally Giles
  • Anna Mayer
  • Jemima Wyman
  • Elizabeth and Ann Wertheim

Plus unknown doily makers and Chinese factory workers.