thePULSEThat’s Right…Unmentionables!
By Annette Cinelli
Sound good? If you are looking for something fun to do between now and April 1st, take a drive out to Maynard, MA and visit Dunia, an “earth-friendly store for home, body and soul” that is currently hosting an art exhibit called Unmentionables. I stopped by for the artists’ reception last month and this exhibit, described on Dunia’s website as “saucy sculptures by Ingrid Goldbloom Bloch and her friends Jennifer d’Entremont, Christine Hanley, Susan Huszar, and Gwen Murphy,”
should not be missed!
The unique pieces on display include a set of underwear created by Ingrid Goldbloom Bloch and made out of aluminum cans and hardware store miscellany. It is titled A Clean Pair for Every Day of the Week and is the first time Ingrid’s “trashy lingerie” has been displayed in the area. Her goal is to “…draw the viewer in to take a closer look at materials and objects that ordinarily go unnoticed and see them in a new light.” Her welded steel Wonder Bra was just as original and as much fun, too, but then again so is every other piece of her work in the show. (Incidentally, many of the pieces displayed were done specifically for this show because Ingrid’s work has been selling so well at other exhibits!),
Ingrid is the mastermind behind this exhibit. Last summer, while working at Art Space, right around the corner from Dunia, she approached Paige O’Brien and Didi Chadran, owners of the store, looking for a place to exhibit her work. Dide says that, “the people from Art Space know about us, they see us as a partner,” as well they should, Dunia does three or four art shows a year and donates a portion of the proceeds from the show to charities that mirror the values of the store. Didi enjoys putting on these shows because it is “…great to be able to support the local arts.” The owners and Ingrid decided to put this exhibit together for February and March, a nice tie-in for Valentine’s Day and, as Ingrid said, a great way “to steam up the winter.”
Ingrid was inspired by the biannual Show Us Your Bra exhibit and sale to benefit the Breast Form Fund, which helps meet the needs of uninsured and under-insured women who have undergone mastectomies. The Unmentionables artists participated in 2005, and most won prizes and were included in the 2006 Show Us Your Bra calendar. She then brought together fellow artists from Art Space and came up with the theme of Unmentionables.
Along with Ingrid’s art of bras and underwear are Jennifer d’Entremont’s Itty, Bitty, Titty Bags, purse-type creations designed with a 36C bra, which one viewer described as “fantastic!” Also not to be missed is Susan Huszar’s Peep Show. This professional photographer created a piece that lets you view a family scene by looking into a pair of plastic breasts. The “unmentionable” element of this work is the family life you see inside. Also don’t forget Christine Hanley’s O Baby, a bra made out of welded washers, nuts and enamel. Gwen Murphy’s paper clay Nighty Nigh lingerie will also catch and hold your attention!
Now is definitely the time to check out Dunia, located on 43 Nason Street in downtown Maynard, only about 35 minutes from Worcester. Not only will you see a great exhibit, but it is a fabulous store with a unique and environment-friendly selection. It is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10-6 and Thursdays 10-8. Visit www.dunia-ecostore.com/index.html for more information and check out www.dunia-ecostore.com/Unmentionables_pop.html to view the art from Unmentionables. But make no mistake, to get a real sense of the exhibit you have to go see it for yourself! It’s fun, original, creative, and just a wee bit naughty!
