Date: November 19, 2010- January 23, 2011
Location: Pittsburgh Center for the Arts | 6300 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Juror: Jozef Bajus
Click here to see the re.CYCLE.fiber Catalog (pdf)
Recycling been an important part of our lives for the past several decades. Public awareness has grown as increased scientific evidence indicates that our waste, when not recycled, contributes to serious environmental consequences and resource depletion. But, is it always ‘waste’ or yet another creative material? So much of what is termed waste, can actually be re-used to create something new, unique and unexpected. When we think back to the origins of the patchwork quilt, we see that it was, in fact, recycling: combining leftover scraps, worn-out clothing and pieces from other textiles to create a usable item.
Many artists today specialize in using recycled materials exclusively to create amazing work. The term ‘cycle’ can also apply to the creative process as well. Not only can materials of all kinds be recycled, but also the processes utilized to transform them. In recycling, we not only refer to a discarded item reused–the cycle of materials–but to the cycle of the process, the cycle of creating and the cycle of ideas that goes into the creative fiber process. There are many techniques that can be re-cycled and applied to new materials in a traditional way. The outcome is often fresh and inspired.
Our juror was Jozef Bajus, assistant professor of Design and Coordinator of the Fiber Design Concentration at Buffalo State University in New York. His “objects and installations reflect the social, political, and environmental status of the world” and “remind us that something beautiful can be made from anything.” It should be very interesting to see how he reacts to our many and varied interpretations of this subject.
Co-chairs Carolyn Carson at carolyncarson753@hotmail.com and Barb Kubala athangarounds@verizon.net.