New Exhibition Brings Work of Renowned Contemporary Artists to Syracuse
Syracuse, NY (August 26, 2021): On September 18, 2021, the Everson Museum of Art’s latest exhibition will open to the public. AbStranded: Fiber and Abstraction in Contemporary Art features ten nationally known contemporary American artists—Polly Apfelbaum, Paolo Arao, Sanford Biggers, Samantha Bittman, Julia Bland, Rachel B. Hayes, Elana Herzog, Anne Lindberg, Sheila Pepe, and Sarah Zapata. All use fiber-based materials to investigate the complex lineage of abstraction.
An excerpt from the exhibition text reads, “Utilizing a diverse variety of methods, styles, and forms, these artists uncover and co-opt textile traditions and material sources in order to re-assert their validity and relevance in an increasingly global-industrial culture. A prominent use of the hand looms large—through knitting, weaving, quilting, and more—and suggests an alternative mode of communication within today’s digital society. Together, the works reveal how artists employ the language of abstraction to speak about the intertwined histories and politics of craft, race, and gender.”
The exhibition, which will occupy all four upper galleries of the Museum and its main sculpture court, has been years in the making. Initially set to open in the fall of 2020, it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“AbStranded includes works by some of the most interesting contemporary artists utilizing fiber-based materials today. Their works, while connected by various conceptual threads, speak to the spectrum of ways artists approach the medium—from massive architectural installations to intimately-scaled woven paintings,” said Everson Director Elizabeth Dunbar.
AbStranded will be accompanied by a variety of related programming, including a Community Day on September 18 to celebrate its opening. It will feature art-making activities for kids, fiber demonstrations, and a concert of newly commissioned works relating to AbStranded by violinist David Fulmer. Details on additional programs will follow.
For more information, visit everson.org/exhibitions.
