Unlimited Palettes

Improbable Impressions: Jack Lenor Larsen's Psychedelic Prints
Minneapolis Institute of Arts--Gallery 279
Sunday, June 11, 2006—Sunday, January 28, 2007

A delight for the eyes and a delicious feast for the imagination, the Larsen exhibition features just a tiny taste of the endless talents of a textile genius. Larsen's portfolio spans the 1950's throught the 2000's, and the 1960's was clearly one of his most exciting design decades.

The company developed by Jack Lenor Larsen has long been known for its distinctive interiors textiles that exalt the wonder of natural fibers and highlight their unique textures. However, the Larsen Design Studio has never been limited by stereotypes and in the mid-1960s, the company created a line of clothing fabric under the JaeL label featuring dramatic prints on a synthetic knit, the new wonder fabric of that decade. Colors were often bright and demanded attention while patterns ranged from abstract to figural repetitions of exotic birds and animals such as tigers and leopards. These textiles have not been seen for decades and it is the first time they have been highlighted in a museum. >>continue>>

Image:
Larsen Design Studio
Tropic Birds
1967
Minneapolis Institute of Arts