Artists Space

Richards Jarden: Mats

November 11 – December 16, 1978

A photograph of a mat made of a beige wicker-like material.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Postcard, Artists Space, 1978. [A photograph of a mat made of a beige wicker-like material.]

From November 11-December 16, the work of Donald Lipski and Richards Jarden can be seen in separate one-person exhibitions in Artists Space's main galleries. These shows represent each artists' first one-person exhibition in New York City and continue Artists Space's policy of introducing serious new work to the contemporary art audience.

Both Jarden and Lipski live in New York, however, the works they will show at Artists Space represent long-term projects initiated elsewhere: by Jarden while living in Nova Scotia and by Lipski in Oklahoma. The similarity between these two artists is their use of small, unconvential materials manipulated directly by hand and the works' reflection of the time involved in their making.

Jarden will show a group of paintings descriptively referred to as "mats." They range in size up to 2' x 3' and are woven of strands made from paper matches wrapped in cellophane tape. A ghost-like image of a commonplace object, such as a cup and saucer, accompanied by a date is woven into each "mat." Jarden's work represents a determined honestly that clearly shows the direct relationship between materials, appearance and content.

A black and white photograph of a gallery space with windows and an open door in the background. On the right, four mats hang on the wall.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Installation view, Artists Space, 1978. [A black and white photograph of a gallery space with windows and an open door in the background. On the right, four mats hang on the wall.]
Black and white photograph of a gallery space with windows in the background. Mats hang on the left and right walls.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Installation view, Artists Space, 1978. [Black and white photograph of a gallery space with windows in the background. Mats hang on the left and right walls.]
A black and white photograph of a gallery space. Five mats hang on the left wall.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Installation view, Artists Space, 1978. [A black and white photograph of a gallery space. Five mats hang on the left wall.]
A black and white photograph of a gallery space with windows in the background. Mats hang on the left and right walls.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Installation view, Artists Space, 1978. [A black and white photograph of a gallery space with windows in the background. Mats hang on the left and right walls.]
A black and white photograph of a gallery space, three mats are visible hanging on the wall.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Installation view, Artists Space, 1978. [A black and white photograph of a gallery space, three mats are visible hanging on the wall.]
A black and white photograph of a gallery space with windows and an open door in the background. Four mats hang on the walls.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Installation view, Artists Space, 1978. [A black and white photograph of a gallery space with windows and an open door in the background. Four mats hang on the walls.]
A black and white photograph of a gallery wall. Five mats hang on the wall, their top left corners curving slightly away from the flat surface.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Installation view, Artists Space, 1978. [A black and white photograph of a gallery wall. Five mats hang on the wall, their top left corners curving slightly away from the flat surface.]
A black and white photograph of a gallery wall, two hanging mats and a doorframe are visible.
Richards Jarden: Mats. Installation view, Artists Space, 1978. [A black and white photograph of a gallery wall, two hanging mats and a doorframe are visible.]

Exhibitions at Artists Space are supported in part by funding from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.