July 11—September 13, 2015 | Art League Gallery
Reception: September 4, 2015 | 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Eliza Fernand is a multidisciplinary installation and performance artist based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Utilizing photography and quiltmaking, she will respond to the architecture of the Art League Gallery to create a thoughtful space of contemplation. Fernand is investigating the traditions and techniques of quiltmaking through interactive, collaborative projects:
“A quilt is a power object. A quilt is a sculpture and a painting. A quilt is a document of time and labor. A quilt goes to bed with you and keeps you warm, covered, shrouded, draped. In the past five years, I have pursued an obsession with quilts. I have traveled across the country and back to study how quilts are made, how they are used, and what they mean. The process of renewing discarded materials is significant to me, as I am recognizing and connecting the concrete and romantic histories these materials hold, as well as diverting fabric from the waste stream.”
Fernand founded and directs the visiting artist program at Shared Space Studio in Pentwater, MI, and teaches part-time at Kendall College of Art & Design Continuing Ed Department and Cook Arts Center in Grand Rapids. She received her BFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art in 2006, her work has been shown across the country, and she is often traveling to participate in artist residencies and guest-teach.
Image: Detail of Strange Banner Sunshine & Shadow, 2013, repurposed fabric, machine-pieced & hand-quilted, 18 x 62 inches. Image courtesy the artist.
This exhibition is partially supported by the Doubletree, which will provide the artist with a complimentary room during her installation.
