Fiber in the Present Tense

Fiber in the Present Tense 

Contemporary Art Textiles by the Massachusetts-Rhode Island chapter of the Surface Design Association 

March 3- April 22, 2012 at The Arsenal Center for the Arts

Fiber in the Present Tense is a juried exhibition thatl showcasing fiber art from the Massachusetts and Rhode Island members of the Surface Design Association.

“Present tense is an apt title for an exhibition of these inventive and intriguing works.  When speaking, present tense is the most direct method of expression, and the first tense one learns when acquiring a language.  Strong imagery and design coupled with expressive color immediately engage the viewer’s attention.  Upon closer inspection, the varied techniques used to create these works reflect not only skill and ingenuity, but also mirror many of the possible avenues of artistic exploration in present day surface design.  Pictorial and abstract, playful and provocative, direct and deceptive, this panorama of contemporary art in fiber invites the viewer to set aside any preconceived notions and enter into the experience of imaginative possibilities. “

Dr. Alice M. Zrebiec, Juror

Alice Zrebiec is the Textile Art curator at the Denver Art Museum and a curatorial consultant based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Zrebiec received her Ph.D. in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. She was the curator of textiles in the department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1979 to 1984. A recipient of numerous professional fellowships and grants, Dr. Zrebiec has published widely, consulted for various museums, and lectured internationally.

Awards: SDA Award of Excellence to Nancy Crasco for Swimming Against the Tide.

The Arsenal Center for the Arts occupies 30,000 square feet of space on three floors in a beautifully converted industrial building on the site of a former arsenal in Watertown, MA.  It houses two theatres, classrooms and workshop spaces, artist studios, gallery and exhibit space, rehearsal rooms, and informal gathering places. Its stunning and unique architectural design is ideally suited to support its mission of an inter-disciplinary arts center.