Fae Kontje-Gibbs’ new exhibition, “Wishes for Children,” at the Chilmark library delights our eyes and imaginations. Inspired by Tibetan prayer flags, her artwork embodies these wishes. Kontje-Gibbs, who refers to herself as a Christian Buddhist, makes “wishing flags,” stringing together colorful fabrics filled with birds, whimsical creatures, and flowers.
The title “Wishes for Children” reflects the show’s purpose: to combat human trafficking of children. “I just turned 72, and a few years ago, I realized I had maybe 20 years left of productivity, and how do I want to use it? I realized the most important issue for me is to help children. The thought that they are being sexually and labor trafficked is abhorrent to me. My strength is to make art, so I decided to start making art for this cause.” One hundred percent of the profits from sales will go to our local social justice organization, Media Voices for Children, and Foundation United.
Kontje-Gibbs reflects on her show, “What am I wishing for? That a child’s day starts with carrying a book in a school rather than a rock in a quarry. And that a child’s day ends nourished by a warm meal, bath, and bed, rather than overpowered by a sweaty man with a demanding zipper. And that a child can dream of a bright future, rather than dread the nightmare of another enslaved day. I wish to use what I have to help make things better.”
Kontje-Gibbs, a printmaker since the age of 24, prefers printing on fabric. Unlike paper, which has to be framed behind glass, her wishing flags flutter freely. They can be seen from the back or front, depending on where they are hung. “I’ve always loved the back sides of prints. I want the light to come through, and for them to move.”
Kontje-Gibbs prints or hand-draws distinct images on colorful underlying fabric. Sometimes she uses recycled paint rags, which she employs to clean up after creating different artwork. At other times, she makes the backgrounds by soaking layers of fabric in acrylic paints. In either case, the colors often appear dispersed, as if they floated in water before drying, creating a joyful intermingling of chance and controlled intention: “I always tell my students to pay attention when cleaning up, because they can discover more about unexpected things their materials can do. Over the years, I’ve paid enough attention to do that on purpose.”
Experimentation is at the heart of Kontje-Gibbs’s art: “The show explores what materials can do. I love letting go to the creative process. Combining intentionality with something random is one of my favorite things — to see how they interact. It’s a joyous, creative cacophony.”
Kontje-Gibbs tends to string sets of similar images together to create a single flow of wishing flags, creating a wonderful visual rhythm that also draws our eye in to see the differences among them. At the same time, because they recall Tibetan prayer flags, the art emits a reverential air. Flowers are a particular leitmotif: “They always show up everywhere. To me, flowers are the prayers of the plant world. They are that essential communication that is not just intellectual or emotional. It’s ‘other.’”
There are single-fabric images in the show, such as “Dream Tree.” We can see Kontje-Gibbs’ use of controlled chance in this large piece. After laying down the colored liquid pigments, she used a hairdryer and blotting to push the pigments about, developing the essence of a luscious, verdant tree: “One of the things I love about working on fabric is the way it receives the ink and starts to spread.”
In talking about her art, Kontje-Gibbs refers to how the male lead in the 2011 film “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” repeatedly says, “Everything will all work out in the end.” She explains, “And the ladies would ask, ‘How do you know?’ He would say, ‘If it hasn’t worked out, it’s not the end.’ That’s how I feel about my artwork. At the very least, it will go in the rag basket again.” She embodies a sense of exploration, asking an artwork, “What’s it telling me? What can I see here? What else can I do?”
“Which brings me back to the purpose of this show,” she says. “There’s got to be something I can do with what I have.” Kontje-Gibbs adds, “There is power in wishes … A wish is a spark that can light the fire of change … Each wishing flag is a wish for healing, for freedom, for joy. Each flag is a gratitude for the gifts of my life, and my urge to share them.”
“Wishes for Children” is on view at the Chilmark Public Library through Feb. 28.
