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PLAYING WITH THE GODDESS'S VEIL
An E-Interview with Artist, Maddy Lemel
by Bruce Meade
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A Weapon of Mass Destruction
plex, photo tranfers & paper 7" x 6" x 2" |
Maddy Le Mel creates delicate paper layered forms that dance between sculpture and assemblage. Her work is expressive, poetic, and evokes the fragile, tenuous nature of existence. The work has been widely exhibited in galleries and museums all over the United States. On one of her recent trips to Hiromi Paper to stock up on washi I asked her if she would like to do an e-mail interview for the newsletter. She graciously agreed.
Q: Why do you go into your studio?
MADDY:
Because when I walk in and close the door I feel a great sense of comfort, It feels like arms wrapping around me! It is my very own space and I get to do whatever feels good at the moment... I get to play, experiment, or ponder. There are no distractions or demands made on me. Spontaneity is not so easy in my other life, like most other people it is filled with responsibilities and obligations. I can shut out the world and can be creative without the feeling of " I have be doing other things." and I don’t have to keep it clean or neat, if I don’t want to! therefore it's pretty messy.
Q:
How did you come upon Japanese paper?
MADDY:
I have always loved translucent materials and was working with waxed paper, metal mesh, and tulle in my assemblage works. I started experimenting with found objects encased in wrapping tissue paper, applying different types of adhesives, but it was too fragile. I don’t remember how I got to hiromi, but I bought a small sample book of your papers. I used the thinner papers in a test which became a piece that I later sold. That was the beginning of a long love affair!!!
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Q: And which are your favorite Japanese papers to work with?
MADDY: I'm so bad at remembering the numbers of the papers. I just know I've have used the tengucho papers on the wall. One is called thinnest tengucho I think. I've used sheets and rolls hope that helps. The qualities of tengucho that attracts me most is its translucency and suprising strength! It can look, move, and act like the most ephemeral fabric, yet it is very strong and easily repairable.
Editors Note: Tengucho is an extremely thin Kozo paper made using a silk gauze covered bamboo screen which results in a very smooth and refined surface. According to legend tengucho is modeled after the gossamer veil of a Japanese Goddess which became caught on a tree branch when she came to earth. The tengucho papers that Maddy refers to are W-1 (7.5g/m2), available in sheets and rolls, and MMN-1 Tengucho Thinnest,( 5 g/m2), which is also available in rolls. Now back to the interview.
Q: Maddy, how do you use this very lightweight tengucho paper in your work?
MADDY: I use it in many ways - I have covered plexi-glass with it using your archival adhesive ( PVA glue). I have embedded found objects in it. I once made a 6ft. kimono out of tea stained mulberry paper and put a slightly larger layer of tengucho over it giving it a gossamer look. It has a tie in the front made of yards of tengucho which holds it together. Any slight air current makes it move gracefully. I have used it sewn over other papers creating a mysterious feeling of what might be beneath it. I also use it to repair other papers as it becomes invisible.
Q: You mentioned you apply PVA glue to the tengucho papers. What effect does this have? And do you dilute it with water?
MADDY: It makes the paper very translucent, gives it body and protects it. Gives it a feeling of mystery and yes, I do dilute it with water.
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Q: Well Maddy, I really appreciate your taking time to answer these questions. Are you working on any special projects at the moment? Any new shows scheduled for 2006?
MADDY:Taking a short break after a lot of shows this fall - gallery c in hermosa, louis stern in west hollywood, a group show at mt. st. marys college, solo show at hillel gallery at usc. Exhausting but exciting and i am very grateful. in april 2006 I will be in a 2 person show at cal state university, dominguez hills.
Q: One final question. Do you listen to music in your studio when you work?
MADDY: Always! Lots of jazz, old tango recordings, film scores, older rock ( like me) , spainish guitar, some classical. i have a very eclectic collection. Hope this is what you wanted feel free to make any corrections, I’m not a writer, no way, no how!!
You can check out more of the work of Maddy LeMel at maddylemel.com.
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 Plus One
plex boxes, wire, paper, thread 25"H x 31"W x 7"D
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