PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Amy Orr
Executive Director
amy@fiberphiladelphia.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FiberPhiladelphia 2012: a citywide showcase of innovative fiber/textile art that transcends disciplines.
Curating A Sense of Place at the Philadelphia Art Alliance.
String, Felt, Thread: The Hierarchy of Art and Craft in American Art
A Brief History of FiberPhiladelphia
Philadelphia has a rich history in textiles and fiber art, which continues to flourish. In 1998, the Snyderman-Works Galleries hosted their first major fiber exhibition and the seed was planted for FiberPhiladelphia. Curated by Bruce Hoffman, the exhibition had far more visitors than expected and garnered attention and praise from artists, collectors, curators and critics. Two years later when Snyderman Gallery presented their 2nd International Fiber Survey, several institutions joined and other biennial exhibitions were soon created to compliment the Snyderman show. The name FiberPhiladelphia was coined in 2008 to describe the artists, educators, curators, historians, galleries and major institutions promoting the best in the expansive textile and fiber arts fields.
Fiber Art Definition:
In the past 20 years, the boundaries between High/Low art and medium specific recognition have been blurred. Unlike the other major craft media, textile artists have the freedom of transcending materials, unbound from tradition. Although many choose to continue to work with historic materials and methods, many have branched out to explore the infinite possibilities of materials and techniques. One can weave metal, clay, even light. Quilts are not necessarily bound by thread or cloth and vessels can be more than objects to contain physical matter; they can reject functionality and explore conceptual notions of spiritual and metaphysical containment.
A printed brochure, with map and listings of all FiberPhiladelphia events is in the works.
An official FiberPhiladelphia 2012 mobile app with complete festival listings will also be developed in the coming months.
For specific exhibition dates and listings including lecture dates, symposiums, openings, pubic access and handicap accessibility please visit the FiberPhiladelphia website: http://www/fiberphiladelphia.org
FiberPhiladelphia is partnering with InLiquid, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to providing opportunities and exposure for visual artists and designers.
