Contact:	  Stephanie	  Sun,	  Marketing	  Manager	  ssun@contemporarycraft.org	  412.261.7003	  x29	  www.contemporarycraft.org	  FOR	  IMMEDIATE	  RELEASE	  	
  The	  Space	  Between	  Explores	  the	  Roles	  of	  Creativity	
  and	
  Identity	  in	  Conjunction	  with	  Exhibition	  Oaths	  and	  Epithets:	  Works	  by	  Sonya	  Clark	  	  PITTSBURGH,	
  PA	  –	  July	  17,	  2017	
  -­‐	
  Inspired	  by	  exhibiting	
  artist	  Sonya	  Clark’s	  exploration	  of	  the	  inherited	  histories	  in	  craft,	  Contemporary	  Craft	
  (CC)	  invited	  local	  cultural	  producers	
  -­‐	
  Njaimeh	  Nije	  and	  Corey	  Carrington.	
  The	  speakers	
  will	  discuss	  the	  role	  of	  creativity	  at	  “The	  Space	
  Between”	
  on	  Thursday,	  August	  3,	
  2017	
  at	  6	  PM.	  Organized	  around	  the	  theme	
  of	  identity,	  this	  salon-­‐style	  speaker	
  series	  joins	  together	  fascinating	  and	  buzz-­‐worthy	  local	  cultural	
  producers	  in	  an	  evening	
  of	  inspiring	  and	  revealing	  discussion.	  	  	  	  	  

During	  “The	  Space	  Between”,	  speakers	  will	  talk	
  about	  their	  backgrounds,	  the	  way	  they	  approach	  the	  creative	  process,	  their	  personal	  connections	  to	  craft,	  and	  how	  “identity”	
  weaves	  into	
  the	  concepts	  of	  their	  work.	  Speakers	
  will	  engage	  the	  attendees	  in	  discussions	  through	  their	  creative	
  journeys	  and	  CC’s	  current	  exhibition,	  Oaths	  and	  Epithets:	  Works	  By	  Sonya	
  Clark.	  This	  event	  is	  free	  and	  open	  to	  the	  public	  at	  CC’s	  Strip	  District	
  gallery	
  with	  a	  $5	  suggested	  donation;	  attendees	
  are	  invited	  to	  arrive	  early	  to	  experience	  the	  exhibition	  before	  the	  event.	  	
  	  	  “The	  Space	
  Between”	  is	  being	  presented	  in	  conjunction	  with	  Oaths	  and	
  Epithets,	  a	  solo	  exhibition	  highlighting	  Clark,	  an	  international	  recognized	  artist	  and	  a	  leader	  in	  the	  field	  of	  craft	
  and	  material	
  studies	  for	  more	  than	  20	  years.	  Her	  work	  explores	
  self-­‐identity	  and	  social	  perceptions	  through	  centuries	  old	  handcraft	  traditions	  and	  commonplace	  objects	
  ranging	  from	
  human	  hair,	  to	  thread,	  to	  gold.	  The	  exhibition,	  including	  some	  works	  that	  have	  never	  been	  publicly	  exhibited	
  before,	  will	  be	  closing	  on	  Saturday,	  August	  19,	  2017.	
  	  	  For	  additional	  details	  or	  images,	  please	  contact	  Stephanie	  Sun	  at	  ssun@contemporarycraft.org.	  	
  THE	  SPACE	  BETWEEN	  INVITED	  SPEAKERS	  	  Njaimeh	  Njie	  is	  a	  Pittsburgh-­‐based	  photographer,	  filmmaker,	  and	  multimedia	  producer	  rooted	  in	  social	
  justice	
  and	  cultural	  enrichment.	  Njie	  is	  the	
  founder	  and	  lead	
  producer	  of	  Eleven	  Stanley	  Productions,	  dedicated	
  to	  creating	
  story-­‐based,	
  branded	
  and	  original	  content.	  Njie’s	  multimedia	  series	
  Power(ed)	  by	  Grace	  has	  earned	
  coverage	  by	  the	  Huffington	  Post,	
  the	  Carnegie	  Museum	  of	  Art	  blog,	
  and	  Blavity.	  	  	  Corey	  Carrington,	  also	  known	  as	  Grits	  Capone,	  is	  an	  accomplished	
  poet,	  visual	
  artist,	  and	  change	  maker.	  
He	  is	  deeply	  involved	  with	  Pittsburgh’s	
  spoken	  word	  community,	  and	  uses	  his	  creative	  practice	  to	  effect	  positive	  social	
  change	  while	  exploring	  themes	
  of	
  identity	  and	  connectivity.	  Carrington’s	  works	  in	  performing	  art	  and	
  visuals	  art	  have	  been	  seen	  at	  the	  August	  Wilson	
  Center,	  The	  Kelly	  Strayhorn	  Theater,	
  Wood	  Street	  Galleries,	
  The	  Greater	  Pittsburgh	  Arts	  Council,	  BOOM	  Concepts,	  and	  more.	  He	  is	  currently	  the	  inaugural	
  recipient	  of	  the	  2016-­‐17	  Emerging	  Black	
  Arts	  Leader	  Apprentice	  at	  CC.	  	
  	  	  -­‐	
   m ore	   -­‐ 	  The 	
  Space Between, 2ADDITIONAL	  INFORMATION	  Parts,	  Patterns,	
  and	  Pieces,	  an	  interdisciplinary	  storytelling	  exhibit	  by	  Women	
  of	  Visions,	  Inc.,	  features	
  artworks	
  by	  regional	
  artists	
  and	  explores	  visual	  expressions	  related	  to	  Black	  hair.	  From	  intuitive	
  geometry	  to	  strands	  of	  resistance,	  these	  African	  American	  artists	  adapt,	  innovate,	  and	  integrate	  cultural	
  notions	
  of	
  adornment	  by	  drawing	
  from	  within.	  Parts,	  Patterns,	  and	  Pieces	
  is	
  exhibited	  at	  Contemporary	
  Craft’s	  BNY	  Mellon	  Satellite	  Gallery	  through	  September	  17,	  2017.	
  	  	
  Join	  Women	  of	  Vision,	  Inc.	  for	  a	  guided	  “Walk	  and	  Talk”	  of	  Parts,	  Patterns,	  and	
  Pieces	  with	
  the	  artists	
  on	  Sunday,	  August	  27,	  2017	
  starting	  at	  2:30	
  PM	  at	  the	  BNY	  Mellon	  Satellite	  Gallery.	  	  FUNDERS	  Oaths	  and	  Epithets:	  Works	  by	  Sonya	  Clark	  is	  made	
  possible	  by	  the	  Allegheny	  Regional	  Asset	  District,	  the	  Elizabeth	  R.	
  Raphael	  Fund	  of	  the	  Pittsburgh	  Foundation,	  The	  Heinz	  Endowments,	  Pennsylvania	  Council	  on	  the	  Arts,	  and	
  the	  Windgate	  Foundation.	  Media	
  sponsored	  by	  90.5	  WESA	  and	  91.3	
  WYEP.	
  	  	  ABOUT	  CONTEMPORARY	  CRAFT	  Presenting	  contemporary	  art	  in	  craft	  media	
  by	  regional,	  national,	  and	  international	  artists	
  since	  1971,	  CC	  offers	  cutting	  edge	  exhibitions	
  focusing	  on	  multicultural	  diversity	  and	  non-­‐mainstream	  art,	  as	  well	  as	  a	  range	  of	  studio	  workshops,	  community	  outreach	  programs,	  and	  a	  retail	  store.	
  Through	
  its	  mission	
  of	  engaging	  the	  public	
  in	  creative	  experiences	  through	  contemporary	  craft,	  CC	  offers	  meaningful	  art	  opportunities	
  for	  145,000	  people	  a	  year	  through	  four	
  core	  values:	  providing	  vital	
  support	
  for	  artists,	  filling	  critical	  gaps	  in	  public	  education;	  sharing	  cross	  cultural	  perspectives;	  and	  using	  art	  to	  build	  community.	  	
  	  CC	  is	  located	  at	  2100	  Smallman	  Street	  in	  the	  Strip	  District	  of	  Pittsburgh,	  PA.	  Hours	  are	  Monday	  through	  Saturday,	
  10	  AM	  to	  5	  PM.	  Exhibition	  and	  informal,	  hands-­‐on	  art	  activities	  in	  the	  Drop-­‐In	  Studio	
  are	
  always	  free	  to	  the	  public.	  Contemporary	  Craft	
  is	
  committed	  to	  making	  its	  exhibitions,	  programs,	  and	  services	  accessible	  to	  the	
  public.	  For	  questions	  related	  to	  accessible	
  accommodations,	  please	
  contact	  us.	  
For	  more	  information,	  visit	  www.contemporarycraft.org	  or	  call	  412.261.7003.	  	  #	  #	  #