Stitches and sutures: tracing the body and landscape in Troy Montes-Michie's collages To tailor
a garment by "rock of eye" is to rely on the drape--on experience over mathematical
measurement--in the fitting process. It is a kind of drawing in space--a freehand an intuition
a trust of materials. Rock of Eye published on the occasion of Troy Montes-Michie's (born
1985) solo exhibition at the California African American Museum is a collection of the
artist's collages drawings and found and woven images sourced from vintage erotic magazines
French tailoring magazines found photographs and other materials. These materials are familiar
from Montes-Michie's recent large-scale paintings and collages that center on the Black male
body and his series that traces the social history and form of the zoot suit. Troy
Montes-Michie was born in El Paso and his practice reflects his experience growing up along the
US Mexico border. This book is a study in ambiguity between portraiture and landscape his are
the cuts and folds of patterning and mapping. In Rock of Eye Montes-Michie's stitches suture
histories and geographies they establish thresholds for crossing his needle hits rock.
Including essays by Tina Campt and editor Andrea Andersson with an interview by Brent Edwards
Rock of Eye is a tactile and sensuous artist's book recalling the form of fabric swatch books
and affirming that collage is an art of selection.
