Spiraling, Twisting, Unraveling: Explorations in Pattern and Form

Drawn entirely from the museum’s collection, “Spiraling, Twisting, Unraveling: Explorations in Pattern and Form” explores the dynamic landscape and languages found in contemporary craft. The exhibition features 25 artists who explore principles of decoration, pattern and form. Delicate lines, trailing threads and seemingly endless spirals are used as devices to unearth themes alluding to the natural world and alternative concepts of eternity, life cycles, space and time represented across millennia and through diverse cultures. In tactically rich and materially diverse objects — from ceramics to stoneware, fiber to woodwork — the artists each consider the expansive geographies of form, pushing the boundaries of their chosen medium while also sparking necessary conversations, stories and narratives that are part of our everyday lives.

Artists include: Sue Abbrescia (United States, b. 1940), Felicity Aylieff (England, b. 1954), Nick Bernard (United States, b. 1958), Antonella Cimatti (Italy, b. 1956), Nancy Youngblood Cutler (United States, b. 1979), Jim Connell (United States, b. 1951), ​​Gary Erickson (United States, 1955–2016), Beth Forer (United States, b. 1951), John Garrett (United States, b. 1950), Mary Giles (United States, b. 1944), Satoru Hoshino (Japan, b. 1945), Christine Joy (United States, b. 1952), Linda Lopez (United States, b. 1981), Maria Poveka Martinez (San Ildefonso Pueblo, 1887–1980), Bradley R. Miller (United States, b. 1950), Leon Niehues (United States, b. 1951), Michaela Orstav (Israel, b. 1977), Marc Ricourt (France, b. 1963), Kay Sekimachi (United States, b. 1926), Michael Sherrill (United States, b.1954), Linda Sormin (Thailand, b. 1971), Polly Adams Sutton (United States, b. 1950), Dorothy Torivio (Acoma Pueblo, 1946–2011), Irene Vonck (Ireland, b. 1952) and Jiro Yonezawa (Japan, b. 1956).

“Spiraling, Twisting, Unraveling: Explorations in Pattern and Form” is organized by ASUAM Senior Curator Alana Hernandez and ASUAM Curator Brittany Corrales and made possible by generous funding from Windgate Charitable Foundation.