CONTACT: Judy Kelly
jak@judith-kelly.com | 412.805.8494
www.contemporarycraft.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Acclaimed SWOON Exhibition Extended
at Contemporary Craft’s New Lawrenceville Location
Artworks by internationally renowned street artist Caledonia Curry (aka Swoon) will be
exhibited through Saturday, March 20 for Pittsburghers to experience
PITTSBURGH, PA (January 12, 2021)—The inaugural exhibition at Contemporary Craft’s new,permanent home has been extended for three months. The Heart Lives through the Hands featureslarge-scale paper and mixed media artworks and an immersive sculptural installation byinternationally renowned street artist, Caledonia Curry.
The exhibition addresses relationships between people and their built environment and explores
how creativity can positively impact communities in times of crisis and change. Curry, whose work
appears under the name Swoon, is widely known as one of the first woman to gain large-scale
recognition in the male-dominated world of street art.
Originally scheduled for April 25 through August 21, 2020, the exhibition dates were subsequently
moved to September 3 through December 24, 2020. The extension of The Heart Lives through theHands is a result of the response of the Lawrenceville neighborhood, the Pittsburgh region, as well
as visitors from surrounding states who were attracted by Swoon’s reputation and appeal.
“Visitor reaction to the exhibition has been exhilarating for our staff,” said Kate Lydon, director ofexhibitions at Contemporary Craft. “People are loving the new building and are coming backmultiple times, bringing friends and family with them, to experience Swoon. One piece in theexhibition—the 12-feet high Thalassa—really demonstrates the flexibility of the 2,500 sq. ft. of open
gallery in our new space.”
Swoon first took to the streets of New York in 1999, pasting paper portraits on buildings with thegoal of making art and the public spaces more accessible. Today, her work marries the whimsical to
the grounded, weaving in fairy tales, myth, and a recurring motif of the sacred feminine. Tendrils ofher own family history—and a legacy of her parents’ struggles with addiction and substanceabuse—recur throughout her work. Recently, she has begun using film animation to explore theboundaries of visual storytelling.
A permanent piece from the exhibition is installed on the eastern exterior of the Contemporary
Craft building. Called Braddock Steel, it references Curry’s long-term community revitalization
project in that area of Pittsburgh. Another reference to her Braddock work is the display of tiles
made by the now defunct Braddock Tile Works. In addition to the permanent Braddock Steelinstallation, a limited number of Swoon-signed prints of Thalassa in Braddock are available for salein The Store at Contemporary Craft while supplies last.

Much of Curry’s art plays with the fantastical, yet there is also a strong element of realism. This canbe seen in her myriad social endeavors, such as her efforts to build earthquake-resistant homes inHaiti through Konbit Shelter. Her work can be found on the streets worldwide and has been given
both permanent and transient homes in more classical institutions, including New York’s Museumof Modern Art, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, the Tate Modern, and the São Paulo
Museum of Art.
Guided group tours for the exhibition are also available by contacting CC’s exhibition team at412.465.1631. The group tour includes art activities designed to explore the participants’ ownfamily histories and what “home” means to them. COVID restrictions will apply.
For more information or high-res photos of works of The Heart Lives through the Hands, pleasecontact info@contemporarycraft.org.
Searching for Home—a solo exhibition of Seattle-based, Pakistan-born artist Humaira Abid—follows
Swoon’s The Heart Lives Through the Hands. It opens on Friday, April 9 and runs through Saturday,
August 21, 2021.
Due to COVID-19, Contemporary Craft is open Thursday through Saturday, 11 am to 4pm in January,
and Wednesday through Saturday, 11 am to 4pm in February. Admission is free but timed tickets
from EventBrite are required. Contemporary Craft adheres to COVID restrictions including social
distancing, masks required and limited number of visitors.
FUNDERS
General operating support for CC is provided by Allegheny Regional Asset District, The Heinz Endowments,
Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Elizabeth R. Raphael Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council onthe Arts, and JENDOCO Construction Corporation. The Heart Lives through the Hands media sponsors are 90.5
WESA, 91.3 WYEP and NEXTpittsburgh.
ABOUT CONTEMPORARY CRAFT
Presenting contemporary art in craft media by regional, national, and international artists since 1971, CC offers
innovative exhibitions focusing on multicultural diversity and contemporary art, as well as a range of artist-led
studio workshops, a store, and community outreach programs. Located at 5645 Butler Street in the Upper
Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA, CC’s exhibition and Drop-In Studio art activity are always free to thepublic. For questions related to accessible accommodations, please contact us at info@contemporarycraft.org orvisit www.contemporarycraft.org.

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