May 2, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Van Kleeck
University Art Gallery Coordinator
805-756-1571
‘A Tear in the Fabric: The Conceptually Driven Quilt’
Title of New Exhibit at University Art Gallery
SAN LUIS OBISPO – The rich and complex history of quilt-making will unfold through the quilts to be displayed at Cal Poly’s University Art Gallery from May 9 through June 14.
Cal Poly’s Art and Design Department is co-curating the show with noted quilt author. Carolyn Mazloomi. “The exhibit, titled “A Tear in the Fabric: The Conceptually Driven Quilt,” features work by 25 quilt-makers from around the country.
Many of the quilts have a social and political message that underlies the beauty of the piece and operates as a covert resistance or challenge to the social constructs of the time, said Jeff Van Kleek, University Art Gallery coordinator. “Alternately, some quilts contain an ambiguity that lends itself to more than one interpretation, causing one to pause and adjust one’s thinking patterns. The exhibition aims to inspire viewers to pause a little longer, dig a little deeper, and look for meaning that may lie beneath the surface of public discourse, first glances, and initial judgments,” Van Kleek said.
As part of the exhibit, Mazloomi will speak from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, May 16, in the Third Floor North Reading Room in the Kennedy Library. A reception for the speaker and the exhibit will follow from 6 to 8 p.m.
The exhibition is free and can be seen in the University Art Gallery in the Dexter Building from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Kindergarten through eighth grade classroom visits with grade-appropriate activities can be arranged through the Liberal Studies Department at 756-2935.
The exhibit is a collaboration between Cal Poly’s Liberal Studies Department and the Central Coast Center for Arts Education.
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(Note to Editors: Images are available from Jeff Van Kleeck at jvanklee@calpoly.edu.)
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