PATTERN WEAVING;
MYTH MAKING THROUGH FIBER

May 15-June 29, 2024
Opening Reception: May 18, 5-7 pm

A GROUP SHOW FT.

Linda Amundson, Molly Wheat Baker, Delores Brown, Anja Grover, Faith Hagenhofer, Juniper Jack, Mary Lane, Kirsten Miller and Isabel Yasui, Judy Parkins, Larye Parkins, & Crystal “Coco” Rodriguez

Marmo Gallery is pleased to present Pattern Weaving; Myth Making Through Fiber, a group exhibition featuring the work of Linda Amundson, Molly Wheat Baker, Delores Brown, Anja Grover, Faith Hagenhofer, Juniper Jack, Mary Lane, Judy Parkins, Larye Parkins, Kirsten Miller and Isabel Yasui, & Crystal “Coco” Rodriguez.

Utilizing natural materials such as flax, cotton, and wool, fiber art tells the stories of culture, tradition, and human history through pattern and color crafted over a long-spun, labor-intensive process. The earliest examples of fiber arts date back thousands of years, and while fiber may have originally been used mainly for practical purposes, it evolved into one of the most widely used means of storytelling in human history.

By exploring linguistic roots and convergences in various languages, we can begin to understand the importance of fiber arts as a means of communication. The Greek concept of poikilia (ποικιλία), meaning “pattern-making,” points to the intricate patterns and mythologies woven into the fiber arts tradition. Poikilia encompasses a broad spectrum of pattern in both nature and craftsmanship, from the geometric patterns of snakeskin to the dappled plumage of birds, to the highly crafted products of carpentry and weaving. The way that patterns are constructed on the loom, and the perception of them as they emerge on the fabric in lyrical hues and patterns, showcase poikilia.

The French term trame, while representing the weft or web, metaphorically alludes to the plot of a narrative, suggesting a deeper layer of meaning inherent in the fabric of storytelling. The English word text is rooted in the Latin verb texere, meaning “to weave.” These linguistic nuances underscore the deep-rooted cultural and historical significance of weaving and fiber work, emphasizing their role as a prime media of myth-making and storytelling across diverse cultures and periods.

One notable use of fiber art in American history is quilting. As quilt historian Gladys-Marie Fry observes in her study of antebellum quilts and enslaved quilt makers, “Stitched from the Soul: Slave Quilts from the Antebellum South,” quilts “became the means by which the enslaved recorded and preserved their experiences—not in words, but in stitches… It was their personal and communal history recorded not on paper, but on fabric.”

Fiber art traditions span generations and give us the tools to tell and retell stories. Fiber art's ability to transcend language barriers underscores its significance as a universal medium of cultural expression. The symbolic language woven into fiber art continues to preserve stories, traditions, and identities to this day.

“I had to ask the question, what is as old as the human need to write stories? The answer was near to hand: weaving. Indeed, the production of cloth has been a central technology to narrate the human experience for thirty thousand years. What’s your social status? Read the pattern in the cloth. Who won or lost the battle? See the tapestry.”
-Indira Allegra