Review 4: FABRICation Gallery

The allure of mixed, brightly-colored fabrics hanging on a wall in the Church Fine Arts building draws your attention from down the hall. What creations live inside this mysterious gallery? I investigate.

Review

I honestly did not know much about fabric, bonding them together, or how art could be created with fabric. All of this would change with a visit to the FABRICation event being held in the Sheppard Contemporary Gallery at the University of Nevada, Reno. Co-curated by a professor in painting and printmaking, Reni Gower, the gallery features the work of seven talented artists. Each artist brings a unique style to their work, as one piece of art led to the next as I made my way through the gallery space.

As I took my tour, a piano near the entrance of the gallery became occupied by a fellow student. Previously browsing in silence, the gallery quickly became filled with elegant music. I felt this added to the experience, as the (at times) imperfect music could be seen as a reflection of the imperfections found within the fabrics that I was looking at.

The various textures of the fabric mixed with other materials created an interesting combination. I wondered where some of the fabric was found -- as much of it looked so foreign and perhaps from other parts of the world. I really liked the idea of mixing this fabric with netting in one piece and wood in another. The materials -- from the texture to the grain -- complimented each other perfectly.

Some of the work reminded me of the collages that we've worked on in various digital media classes. The resulting art was complex with many different colors, drawing my eye from one end of the piece to the other. Some of the artwork was set up in a series, working together to create something bigger.

In almost every sense, this type of art was also so different from the art we create in digital media. Instead of relying on computers or technology, the works on display in the FABRICation Gallery was a true testament of what can be created without the use of those tools. It made me think back to a perhaps simpler time before recorded sound, film, or digital photography. I wouldn't call this art "simple" by any means, but it does have a bit of an "old-world" look to it.

The piece that drew my attention the most was Fragments: Encircled by Reni Gower. These layered strips of fabric utilized an amazing array of colors not often seen together. The cyans, purples, and oranges were truly mesmerizing.

I'd recommend visiting this gallery, even if fabrics may not be your thing (it initially wasn't for me). After visiting this gallery, I have no doubt you'll have a brand new appreciation for the craft.