Making a Place
Curated and presented by Sarah Ann Austin & Kelly Walsh
The works aim to explore how local Raleigh/Durham female artists create a sense of place and space for themselves in their artistic practice, particularly focusing on art forms traditionally associated with "homemaking" such as textiles and quilting. The show aims to challenge the distinctions between craft and art and to showcase the transformative potential of these art forms.
Drawing inspiration from traditional forms of placemaking, the gallery space will be transformed using hanging textile panels and other large-scale artworks. These elements will define distinct areas, guiding the audience through curated spaces that highlight process and intention. The overall experience will be shaped by a combination of collaborative installations and individual artworks.
The show celebrates skills and art forms historically undervalued or categorized as "homemaking." Quilts, mixed media sculpture, and innovative textile-based creations take center stage. Inspired by Judy Chicago's 1974 installation The Dinner Party and Renée Green’s installation work in collaboration with the fabric workshop in 1992 Mise-en-Scène: Commemorative Toile, these exhibition’s honor the unsung design geniuses who create functional beauty from limited resources. Making a Place seeks to continue the conversation of these artists, mediums, skills, and themes that have often been excluded from the formal “Art World.”
The artists involved come from diverse cultural backgrounds and have varying understandings of what making a place feels and looks like. With the use of many types of “handiwork”, such as quilts and other textile-centered making practices. These artists bring a transformative understanding to what has historically been less respected as “artform.”
The show will be open until October 5. Please join us on August 15 for the artist reception and be on the lookout for more updates on artist, talks, and workshops
Sarah Ann Austin uses plant materials to make traditional bark and cloth papers while also using paper stitching to create her tapestry and sculptural artworks. Her work explores the distinctions between craft and art, and how society values each.
Aliyah Bonnette paints figurative images on quilts, drawing inspiration from her grandmothers and ancestors. By incorporating unfinished quilts from her grandmother, she narrates a Black woman's journey of self-discovery.
Patrizia Ferreira, a textile artist, transforms plastic debris into art. As an immigrant to the US, she uses her art to connect with her concept of home and the women who came before her.
Courtney Lockemer works across multiple mediums including fashion, textiles, photography, video, and performance. She emphasizes using local materials, both reclaimed and naturally sourced.
Kelly Walsh's handwoven fabrics explore the relationship between functionality and art. Her labor-intensive process highlights the changing perceptions of what constitutes art.
Michelle Wilke uses traditional quilting techniques to create modern quilts. She challenges expectations of what a quilt can be, while examining the role of "women's crafts" in contemporary society.
Also check out other Arts events in Durham, Workshops in Durham, Fine Arts events in Durham.
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