View the Contemporary Fiber Online Gallery
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The Sacrifice (Homage to Kartrina), Nina Bentley
Mixed Media installation,
20” w Height variable
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Contemporary Fiber features a range of fiber art from 22 artists juried by Nisha Drinkard, of William Patterson University.
The history of fiber can be traced to the beginnings of civilization. With uses dating from the Stone Age, approximately 2.5 million years ago, such natural fibers as flax, cotton, wool and silk have been discovered in ancient burial sites in Egypt, Babylonia, Peru and Great Britain.
The history of flax, the earliest recorded fiber, dates from 5,000 BC and silk, discovered in China, dates from 2,600 BC. The Chinese kept its existence secret for over 2,000 years before, as legend has it, the secret of its development was carried to India when a Chinese princess married an Indian prince.
However, in addition to fiber’s use to create comfort, such as in clothing or blankets, the use of fabrics and textiles as works of art also have a long and distinguished history. A classic example of fiber’s use in art works is the embroidered Bayeux Tapestry, commissioned in the 1070s to commemorate the Battle of William the Conqueror.
Until around mid-20th century, the public associated ethnic and folk arts such as baskets, quilts, tapestries or tribal masks with all fiber in art.
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Double Self-Portrait (detail), Leslie A. Schomp
Nylon thread on & between 2 handkerchiefs, embroidery hoop frames, 12” x12” x 6”
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The term “Fiber Art” today refers to works that emphasize textiles or the traditional techniques used to create or embellish textiles, but not necessarily only fiber components. In the 1960s there were artists who were experimenting with weaving off the loom to create sculptural woven forms, often with humble materials like jute, which resulted in large-scale works with a similarity to the minimal sculptures of the time.
In the years since, many artists have experimented with various techniques and different types of materials that can be utilized as if they were fibers, such as paper, raffia, twist-ties and cellophane, to name a few.
Contemporary art practice, combined with the use of fibers and fiber techniques, has expanded and created new works that are occasionally unexpected, sometimes humorous and often very exciting.
In discussing the field of fibers in art, juror Nisha Drinkard observes that “the beauty of fibers is its ability to use traditional approaches and reapply them into contemporary art forms. This is one of the many reasons why Fibers is the growing and challenging art form it is today. One example of this is the use of traditional techniques, such as knitting, as an installation art material. You will find other examples of this throughout the show…(which) offer the range of contemporary work from traditional methodology to cutting-edge works with digital approaches.
“Fiber artists employ knitting, weaving and quilting techniques as well as the embellishment of fiber with embroidery and other methods. However the works usually also include non-traditional materials and techniques to create the end product.
“Represented in this exhibit are art quilts, weaving, sculpture, installation, video performance art, cutting-edge fiber art and embroidery,” Drinkard notes, so there is something to intrigue every taste.