Rebecca Howland's 'Toxicological Tablecloth' is a stark warning of our daily consumption by industry. The vibrant blue tablecloth, measuring 85 inches wide and long, depicts the devastating impact of human activity on the environment. Oil drums overflowing with rainbow sludge stain the natural landscape, while transmission towers pierce the sky like skeletal fingers.
The accompanying tableware - cups shaped like toxic waste drums, a plate illustrating the ongoing mine fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania, and one commemorating the 1984 Gulf Coast oil spill - is equally jarring. Each piece serves as a stark reminder of our throwaway society's disregard for the earth. The 'money bag' vase, a shallow pink ceramic lung with a diseased mass, casts a sinister glow over the entire scene.
To create this thought-provoking table setting, artist Rebecca Howland has woven together themes from her work - oil refinery fires, gas storage tanks, and transmission towers - into a cohesive narrative. The result is 'Toxicological Tablecloth', a scathing critique of our relationship with industry.
The Fabric Workshop and Museum, where the tablecloth resides, is a bastion of artistic collaboration. Founded in 1977 by Marion Boulton Stroud, the organization encourages creatives to experiment with fabric and train apprentices in textile design. The artist-in-residence program allows sculptors, ceramicists, and visual artists to bring their ideas to life, often communicating remotely.
The museum's dedication to faithful re-creations is evident in its digital catalog, which now showcases almost 500 of the roughly 5,000 items in its collection. Justin Rubich, director of marketing and communications, hopes that the updated database will attract new audiences and make the museum more discoverable.
As we gaze upon 'Toxicological Tablecloth', it's clear that Howland is using her art to provoke us - to make us uncomfortable with our daily consumption. The tablecloth serves as a warning: from farm to table, every choice has consequences. By examining the work of artists like Rebecca Howland, we can gain a deeper understanding of our relationship with industry and strive for a more sustainable future.
The accompanying tableware - cups shaped like toxic waste drums, a plate illustrating the ongoing mine fire in Centralia, Pennsylvania, and one commemorating the 1984 Gulf Coast oil spill - is equally jarring. Each piece serves as a stark reminder of our throwaway society's disregard for the earth. The 'money bag' vase, a shallow pink ceramic lung with a diseased mass, casts a sinister glow over the entire scene.
To create this thought-provoking table setting, artist Rebecca Howland has woven together themes from her work - oil refinery fires, gas storage tanks, and transmission towers - into a cohesive narrative. The result is 'Toxicological Tablecloth', a scathing critique of our relationship with industry.
The Fabric Workshop and Museum, where the tablecloth resides, is a bastion of artistic collaboration. Founded in 1977 by Marion Boulton Stroud, the organization encourages creatives to experiment with fabric and train apprentices in textile design. The artist-in-residence program allows sculptors, ceramicists, and visual artists to bring their ideas to life, often communicating remotely.
The museum's dedication to faithful re-creations is evident in its digital catalog, which now showcases almost 500 of the roughly 5,000 items in its collection. Justin Rubich, director of marketing and communications, hopes that the updated database will attract new audiences and make the museum more discoverable.
As we gaze upon 'Toxicological Tablecloth', it's clear that Howland is using her art to provoke us - to make us uncomfortable with our daily consumption. The tablecloth serves as a warning: from farm to table, every choice has consequences. By examining the work of artists like Rebecca Howland, we can gain a deeper understanding of our relationship with industry and strive for a more sustainable future.
. It's just a blue tablecloth with some weird stuff on it. I mean, who really cares about toxic waste drums and oil spills? Can't we just have a nice dinner without being reminded of how dirty the world is? The artist is just trying to get attention with her 'scathing critique' but honestly, it's just a bunch of fuss over nothing 
. I'd rather not think about it when I'm eating my salad... or would I? 
I mean, can you even? An artist creates this super disturbing tablecloth that literally depicts the destruction of the planet and then just... displays it as art like it's some kind of conversation starter 
? Like, what's next? A "Toxic Waste Vase" collection?! 
And don't even get me started on the museum thinking it's a good idea to make this thing discoverable by just adding it to their digital catalog... 
I guess that's just proof we're already too far gone 
... it's crazy to think about how our daily choices as consumers are affecting the planet 
. The way the artist, Rebecca Howland, has woven all these themes together is really thought-provoking. It's not just about the environmental impact of industry, but also about how we're throwing away entire ecosystems 
. I love that the Fabric Workshop and Museum is showcasing this piece - it's a great example of how art can be used to spark conversations about sustainability 
... but at the same time, I'm a bit worried about how people are going to react to it 
... will we be inspired to make changes or just feel guilty about our shopping habits? Only time will tell 
.
It's like, every time I go to the beach, there's some new piece of trash or pollution that just blows my mind. And the fact that this artist is using a tablecloth as her medium... it's genius, right? 
I mean, who needs some fancy museum when you can have a giant, eye-searing blue tablecloth screaming at us to take care of the Earth? 
I gotta say, this 'Toxicological Tablecloth' is super thought-provoking 
I mean, who needs a tablecloth when we can have an actual conversation about sustainability 
and how our choices impact the planet? I love that the Fabric Workshop and Museum is showcasing all this art to help us understand our relationship with industry 
. The way the artist has used different materials to create a narrative about our relationship with industry is so thought-provoking 
It's making me think about all the little choices we make every day and how they can impact the environment 
. Maybe it's time for us to rethink our daily consumption habits and strive for a more sustainable future 
. And can we talk about how relatable those cups shaped like toxic waste drums are? I mean, have you ever stopped to think about where your morning coffee comes from? The environmental impact of that cup is real 
. We need more artists like Rebecca Howland using their platforms to highlight the issues we're ignoring 
.
. the way she incorporates those oil drums and transmission towers into the design is soooo thought-provoking, it's making me rethink my morning coffee routine 
️. seriously though, our daily consumption habits are like, woah... we gotta take responsibility for the earth, you know? 
? And those cups shaped like toxic waste drums? That's just morbid 
. The way she incorporates different themes and materials to convey the devastating impact of human activity on the environment is just, like, whoa 
.
. And, I mean, it's not just about the tablecloth itself, but the message it sends out into the world 
.