ELORA – The show Fabric of Memory: Perforations and Passages in Printmaking and Fibre Arts will take place from June 27 to Sept. 15 at the Minarovich Gallery at the Elora Centre for the Arts.
The opening reception will take place on June 27 from 7 to 9pm.
Themes of tradition and nostalgia intersect in this collaborative exhibition featuring the work of Toronto artist Pam Lobb and Guelph artist Tammy Ratcliff.
In Fabric of Memory both artists used print and textiles to explore narratives of memory that develop through the deconstructing, editing and reconstructing of materials.
The women investigate the notion of trading in the functional value of “things” for the more sentimental vale of nostalgia.
Lobb works from a regional perspective, collecting handmade textiles from Huron and Perth counties.
She uses both handmade papers and a process of pouring paper pulp to encapsulate the textiles.
An effect that references porcelain is created by layering a series of monoprints on the surface.
The imagery is drawn from Victorian ceramic patterns and in combination with the patterns of the lace, a non-representational portrait of her hometown emerges.
Ratcliff is inspired by the botanical world and its many examples of imperfection and impermanence.
From this viewpoint she uses traditional textile techniques to manipulate her etchings and monoprints on handmade paper, creating renditions of functional textile pieces.
Items whose utilitarian value might be lessened as they become threadbare and fragile through use are thus transformed into artifacts of shared memories and the passage of time.
“This exhibition was made possible through the generosity of the Elora Mill.
Their commitment to supporting the arts community is invaluable,” officials say.
The opening reception for this exhibition will take place on June 27 from 7 to 9pm.
Admission is free, everyone is welcome to attend and meet the artists.
