Contact: Rae Gold
Director Fiberart International 2019fiberartinternational@gmail.com
https://fiberartinternational.org/
Stephanie Sun
Marketing Manager
Contemporary Craft
ssun@contemporarycraft.org
https://contemporarycraft.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fiberart International 2019 Returns to Pittsburgh
23 Triennial Fiber Exhibition Explores Changing Definition of Textile Artrd

Fiber art has become a widely celebrated art medium, one that is ever evolving and crosses theboundaries between fine art and craft. The scope of this medium is exemplified by the artworks
displayed in Fiberart International 2019 (FI2019), the 23rd triennial exhibition of contemporary textile
art sponsored by the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh. Featuring artworks by 55 artists from the US andabroad, FI2019 will be hosted by two Pittsburgh arts organizations: Contemporary Craft (2100
Smallman Street) and the Brew House Association (711 South 21st Street). Opening receptions andawards ceremonies will take place at both locations on Friday, May 31, 2019 from 5:30 - 8:30 PM.
This exhibition is free and open to the public, and will be on view through August 24, 2019. Morethan 10,000 visitors from all over the world are expected to visit the exhibition.
FI2019 records the changing definition of textile art and gives the audience a chance to experience
works by a diverse group of artists who have been underrepresented in large institutions.
Internationally renowned artists and exhibition jurors, Sonya Clark and Jane Sauer reviewed morethan 1,400 artworks submitted by artists from 28 countries and across the United States. They
refined the final selection to 56 pieces bringing together artists from eight countries and 43 states.
The exhibition presents viewers with art that explores the unexpected relationships between textile
art and other creative disciplines. Drawing on a variety of visual languages and global points of view,
ancient textile techniques are transformed into contemporary artworks that ask questions andchallenge us to look at ourselves.
Exhibition related activities are scheduled during the run of the show. On Saturday, June 1, theFiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh will present the Fiberart Forum, a day-long event featuring a keynote
address by Jane Sauer and informal artist talk and discussions with FI2019 exhibiting artists. Fiberart
Forum will begin at Contemporary Craft and continues at the Brew House Association with lunch andtransportation between galleries included. For more information about the Fiberart Forum and topurchase tickets, please visit: http://bit.ly/forumFI2019.
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FI2019 exhibition catalogs will be available for sale at both exhibition locations. Gallery tours will also
be available upon request. To schedule a guided gallery tour, please contact:
fiberartinternational@gmail.com
For more exhibitions or high-resolution images about FI2019, visit: https://fiberartinternational.org/or please contact: Rae Gold, FI2019 Director at fiberartinternational@gmail.com or Stephanie Sun,
Marketing Manager of Contemporary Craft at ssun@contemporarycraft.org or at 412-261-7003.

ABOUT THE JURORS
Sonya Clark’s work has been exhibited in over 350 museums and galleries
nationally and internationally. She is the recipient of major awards, including
a Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship and an honorary Doctorate fromAmherst College. Clark’s work is in the collections of the Philadelphia
Museum of Art, PA, The National Museum of Women in the Arts,
Washington, D.C., and the Musees d’Angers in France, among others.
Jane Sauer has more than 40 years of experience as a highly recognizedprofessional in the American art/craft movement. Her pioneering wrappedbasket form sculptures have exhibited internationally and in the collectionsof 24 museums in the US and abroad. A recipient of major grants, including
two from the National Endowment for the Arts, Sauer has served on theBoard of Trustees of the American Craft Council, Craft Emergency Fund,
National Council for the School of Art, and numerous others.
EXHIBITION FUNDERS
Fiberart International is made possible by the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, with generous support
from the Fine Foundation, the Heinz Endowments, MAK Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation,
Opportunity Fund, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Pittsburgh Center for Arts & Media - Artists inSchools & Communities, and Private Donations. Additional support comes from Contemporary Craftand Brew House Association. Media sponsored by 91.3 WYEP and 90.5 WESA.
ABOUT THE FIBERARTS GUILD OF PITTSBURGH, INC.
The Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, Inc. is a non-profit, member supported organization driven by acommitment to promote fiber art and foster its development. Named by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazetteas one of the “Top Fifty Cultural Forces in Pittsburgh”, Fiberarts Guild exhibitions and educationalprograms create opportunities for its members and the general public to engage with textile arts atevery stage of the creative process. www.fiberartspgh.org
ABOUT CONTEMPORARY CRAFT
Presenting contemporary art in craft materials by regional, national, and international artists since1971, Contemporary Craft offers innovative exhibitions focusing on multicultural diversity and- more -Fiberart International 2019, p.g. 3
perspectives, as well as a range of studio workshops, community outreach programs, and a store
specializing in contemporary craft. Exhibition and informal, hands-on art activities in the Drop-Im
Studio are always free to the public. Contemporary Craft is committed to making its exhibitions,programs, and services accessible to the public. For more information, call 412.261.7003 orvisit http://www.contemporarycraft.org.
ABOUT BREW HOUSE ASSOCIATION
Established in 1993, Brew House Association resides in the former Duquesne Brewing Company Brew
House in Pittsburgh’s South Side. BHA cultivates a wide range of artistic development through anemerging artist residency called Distillery, a curatorial support program called Prospectus, dynamic
gallery exhibitions, and flexible rental space. www.brewhousearts.org###