The Church is pleased to announce a conversation between the Co-Curators of our current Threading the Needle exhibition. Eric Fischl and Sara Cochran will weave together all the details and intricacies of Threading the Needle, discussing the curatorial process and how the show came to be. The exhibition includes 50 artworks by 46 contemporary artists, all of whom have explored fabric, fiber, weaving, or textiles in their work. The show was planned around four themes: the Body and its Distortions, Politics and Identity, Webbing, and Stitching. The works question and blur artificial boundaries between fine art and craft, as well as between genres historically associated with feminine or masculine roles. The limited number of attendees will be given the opportunity to privately view the exhibition after hours in an intimate setting. The conversation will conclude with a wine reception, allowing guests to socialize and converse about the show.

 

Eric Fischl stated: “So much of how we think about or describe the aspects and conditions of our lives and our community use fabric, fiber, thread as metaphors to help us understand who we are and where we are. It is our culture that weaves us together. We know that our beliefs and values can become tattered and worn. In moments of great stress, we might feel we are only holding on by a thread. What we have done or not been able to do forms the tapestry of our lives. The joys and struggles we experience touch the very fiber of our souls. Society, family and even our sense of self are all about building and maintaining a network of connectedness. These knots, these ties that bind, with all their care and complexity is at the heart of our exhibition, Threading the Needle.”

 

Chief Curator Sara Cochran added: “This is going to be an opportunity for our visitors to see some work they may know in a new light and discover other artists who are dealing with the essential questions of our time. The exhibition explores what happens when the conceptual approaches of art and the skills involved in fabric practices come together and produce artworks that challenge expectations in the arenas of art and craft, changing both fields. The work of these extraordinary artists is going to transform the building and surprise the public. There are going to be a lot of interesting and fun conversations this summer at The Church!”