1/20: DRESSING THE LOOM // new works by ALEX MILLER + LORRAINE BARGER @ PLAINES PROJECT
DRESSING THE LOOM
new works by ALEX MILLER + LORRAINE BARGER
January 20-27 , 2012
Opening Reception: Friday Jan 20, 7-10pm
Open Hours: By Appointment
Plaines Project
1822 S Des Plaines Street, Chicago 60616
Dressing the Loom: First Iteration, October 14, 2011, cotton yarn, metal weights
DRESSING THE LOOM is a collaborative large-scale installation by ACRE resident Alex Miller and Lorraine Barger. Taking inspiration from the process and structure of weaving and presenting it in an abstracted sculptural form, Miller and Barger break down weaving into basic concepts: line, tension, organization, building and layers. This then emphasizes the beauty of the warp (the vertical element of a woven fabric, threaded on the loom) at the point before weaving begins. Walking with the warp provides quiet meditation and an exploration of the state between tension and potential.
ALEX MILLER (b. 1987) originally from Alexandria, Virginia, is an artist living and working in Chicago. Miller came to Chicago as a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received his BFA in 2010. Focusing on sculpture, specifically in cast metal arts and fiber arts, juxtaposes the academic and natural environments. Exhibitions in Chicago include works at Tom Robinson Gallery and the Sullivan Galleries.
LORRAINE BARGER (b. 1988) is from Greenville, Ohio. Barger is currently as student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and will be receiving her BFA in May. Barger works primarily in the fiber arts with a focus in weaving and natural dyeing, her next up coming show will be her BFA show in March.
THE PLAINES PROJECT, established in 2006, is a collectively run alternative space which seeks to provide artists, musicians and cultural organizers with a venue to exhibit, perform, and hold events that strengthen social bonds, nurture creative practices, and encourage important cultural and political conversations. It is the goal of the Plaines Project to accommodate Chicago’s creative communities by providing an open, safe, and supportive atmosphere that is constantly redefining itself in relation to those who utilize and occupy the space.
More information about The Plaines Project can be found at: plainesproject.wordpress.com