Pittsburgh Arts & Entertainment Winter 2013 | Page 16

Museums The Mattress Factory Celebrating 35 Years of Contemporary Art Instillations It has been 35 years since the Mattress Factory, a museum of contemporary installation art located in the historic Mexican War Streets in the North Side, opened to the public. On September 12, 2013 the Mattress Factory celebrated its birthday with the opening of three new exhibits: “Janine Antoni,” “Detroit: Artists in Residence,” and “Chiharu Shiota: Trace of Memory.” with more of the Milagros as well as other artifacts, such as pots and hipbones. The exhibit is coupled with a video titled “Honey Babt” which features a man writhing around in honey. Detroit: Artists in Residence Janine Antoni Janine Antoni is a Brooklyn based artist best known for her 1992 work “Gnaw,” which involved 600-pound cubes of chocolate and lard which she chewed to create chocolate boxes and lipstick tubes. In her current exibit located in the annex building of the Mattress Factory museum located at 516 Sampsonia Way, she chose to focus for the most part on the human form to create emotionally charged instillation. She used religious folk charms used for healing in Mexico called milagros. They are set into the roots of a maple tree that punctures the ceiling of the first floor and continues growing on the second floor. The tree grows until it becomes a table which is covered 1975 1977 Barbara Luderowski buys the mattress warehouse 15 500 artists from around the world 11% 72% 9% 8% have exhibited at the Mattress Factory 1978 The Mattress Factory becomes a non-profit educational & cultural organization The Detroit: Artists in Residence series is set up in the main Mattress Factory building located at 500 Sampsonia Way and is inspired by the current movement of artists in Detroit. 1986 1982 Michael Olijnyk begins to work at the Mattress Factory. He becomes Curator of Exhibitions in 1982 and Co-Director in 2008 1983 First instillation opens on May 8 First permanent instillations 1990 Artist h ????????)???????()A?????????)?????????)??????????)???????((0