FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contemporary Craft Continues to Break Down Stigma with Art in Upcoming Show
Three National Artists Explore Obscured Identities in SCC Satellite Gallery Exhibition
PITTSBURGH, PA – January 11, 2016 – What are the mental and physical results of stigma andstereotyping? How do marginalized populations, often existing in the shadows of society, copewith the misconceptions and fear of those around them? And more importantly, how do they rise
above it?
Featuring the work of three contemporary craft artists, The Invisible One – opening later thismonth at the Society for Contemporary Craft’s (SCC) BNY Mellon Center satellite gallery –encourages viewers to consider the implications of stigma cast onto isolated populations such asminorities, women, and those with mental illness. The exhibition offers a glimpse into theloneliness and confusion stigma generates, while simultaneously presenting hope for awareness,action, and understanding. Using art and creativity as a springboard for self-actualization andresiliency, the “invisible ones” become visible.
Presented in association with Mindful: Exploring Mental Health through Art at the Society forContemporary Craft (September 18, 2015 - March 12, 2016), The Invisible One opens to thepublic on Friday, January 22 and runs through Sunday, April 24, 2016. The exhibition features
the work of artists Michael Brolly (wood) of Philadelphia, PA; Andrea Donnelly (fiber) ofRichmond, VA; and Rudy Shepherd (clay and mixed media) of New York City, NY.
In a unique style evolved from carving and texturing wood through sandblasting, the sculpture ofPhiladelphia-based artist Michael Brolly introduces a kinetic element in which the work appears
to morph into something new as the viewer moves from one side to the other. Brolly notes thatthese changing views “speak to those who put on their face before coming into contact withothers.” In his most recent body of work, the artist explores postpartum depression and domestic
violence, personal narratives that many actively choose to hide. Through his manipulation ofwood and light, Brolly’s works reflect the many selves that exist within an individual, often
unnoticed at first glance, but revealed through time and deeper understanding.
Like Brolly, artist Rudy Shepherd questions what is lost when definitive labels narrowly define
individuals. Reacting to the news media’s visual presentation of world tragedies, Shepherd
creates works on paper with corresponding ceramic sculptures that reveal how our society asserts
identities in limiting ways. His illustrations set the stage by reinterpreting current events and- more -The 	  Invisible One, page 2	  inviting a reaction outside of the typical context of contemporary media. Images arecomplimented by heavily marked and abstracted ceramic works considered by Shepherd to be“healing devices”—a necessary opportunity for reflection in society’s seemingly endlessconsumption of fear and trauma. The artist assumes the role of healer to demonstrate the way art
can facilitate resilience and openness. Pittsburghers may be familiar with Shepherd’s The Black
Rock Negative Energy Absorber from 2015’s Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. The
multimedia sculpture boasted the magical ability to absorb negative thoughts and feelings fromviewers.
With a continued reference to the individual, Andrea Donnelly rounds out the multi-media showwith large-scale tapestries such as Holding In, a hand-woven and dyed work measuring nearlyeighteen feet wide depicting a lone, naked woman. Other works from Donnelly’s Woven Ink Blotand Body Blots series reference Rorschach tests and dual identities in a further exploration ofpsychological experience. Based in Richmond, VA, Donnelly finds purpose in her chosen media
stating, “cloth, in its infinite variety and varied significance, is deeply linked to our histories andemotions through the body. Whether it’s woven to hang on the wall or to grace the neck andshoulders, I make cloth that creates connection.”
About Contemporary Craft:
Presenting contemporary art in craft media by regional, national, and international artists since 1971, theSociety for Contemporary Craft (SCC) offers cutting edge exhibitions focusing on multicultural diversity
and non-mainstream art, as well as a range of studio workshops, community outreach programs, and aretail store. Through its mission of engaging the public in creative experiences through contemporary
craft, SCC offers meaningful art opportunities for more than 145,000 people a year through four corevalues: providing vital support for artists; filling critical gaps in public education; sharing cross cultural
perspectives; and using art to build community. SCC is located at 2100 Smallman Street in the Strip
District of Pittsburgh, PA. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The satellite
gallery is located in the “T” station lobby of BNY Mellon Center in downtown Pittsburgh, and is open
daily from 6:00 am through midnight. Exhibitions and informal, hands-on art activities in the Drop-In
Studio are always free to the public. For more information, visit www.contemporarycraft.org or call412.261.7003.
For high res images, please contact Norah Guignon at nguignon@contemporarycraft.org
or 412.261.7003 x29.
For art sales information, please contact Natalie Sweet at nsweet@contemporarycraft.org
or 412.261.7003 x26.

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