FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEA Very Long Engagement at SCC’s Downtown Satellite GalleryBNY Mellon Center Exhibition Strings Together Material and MeaningPITTSBURGH, PA – October 5, 2015 – Human beings' relationship with string spans millenniaand it is thought that simple strands of fiber were the beginning of our species' understanding ofspace and abstract thought. Our ancient relationship with string and its manipulation intoessential everyday objects is at the core of how we engage with the world. The Society forContemporary Craft’s (SCC) latest satellite gallery exhibition, A Very Long Engagement,showcases the fiberart of six artists exploring these themes. Curated by Frances Dorsey,Associate Professor in the Craft Division of NSCAD (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design)University, A Very Long Engagement is organized and circulated by the Dalhousie Art Gallery,Halifax, Nova Scotia. The show is on view October 2, 2015 through January 8, 2016 at BNYMellon Center in downtown Pittsburgh.
Featuring the work of Jozef Bajus, Doug Guildford, Pat Hickman, Dorie Millerson, Sherri Smith,and Martha Stanley, the art collected in this exhibition emerges from lengthy encounters withstring – whether knotted, netted, interlaced, woven, or percussed. Forming a network of linkedideas, processes, physical properties, and material qualities, local viewers will find familiarimagery in several of the works.
Working with the delicate fibers of needle lace and thread, Dorie Millerson’s Bridge measuresonly an inch wide, yet the strong shadow it casts on a nearby wall illuminates the artist’sunderstanding of material and attention to detail. In the shadow, the fragility and exquisitenessof the lace is easily disguised as a strong, steel structure.
-­‐	  more	  -­‐	  A Very	   Long Engagement, page 2	  Known for working with natural hog casings for many decades, Pat Hickman’s newly designedwork, To the Sea, employs found “river teeth” (waterlogged wood that has been smoothed andshaped by a river’s current to resemble fossilized teeth) and animal membranes to reference theconvergence of the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela Rivers. About her site specificinstallation, Hickman offers, “I have lived in several places where land and water meet— theseplaces and what they have given me are now within; their accumulative impact shaping myimagination and how I see. Coming to Pittsburgh, I recognized immediately that I wanted torespond to the convergence of the rivers, feeling their power, knowing the path of their journey.”A Very Long Engagement is presented in conjunction with the Southeastern College ArtConference (SECAC) taking place in Pittsburgh October 21 – 24, 2015. Additional support forthe exhibition is provided by the Canada Council for the Arts.
About Society for Contemporary CraftPresenting contemporary art in craft media by regional, national, and international artists since1971, the Society for Contemporary Craft (SCC) offers cutting edge exhibitions focusing onmulticultural 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 increative experiences through contemporary craft, SCC offers meaningful art opportunities formore than 145,000 people a year through four core values: providing vital support forartists; filling critical gaps in public education; sharing cross cultural perspectives; and using artto 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 locatedin the “T” station lobby of BNY Mellon Center in downtown Pittsburgh, and is open daily from6:00 am through midnight. Exhibitions and informal, hands-on art activities in the Drop-InStudio are always free to the public. For more information, visit www.contemporarycraft.org orcall 412.261.7003.
###Please contact Norah Guignon at marketingmanager@contemporarycraft.orgfor high res images.A Very	   Long Engagement, page 3