April 25 – July 15, 2023
Joan Mondale & Community Galleries
Artist reception: Tuesday, June 6, 5:30 – 7 pm
Featuring work by Rachel Breen, Brooks Harris Stevens, Lisa Kokin, Amy Meissner, Mark Newport, Celia Pym, Catherine Reinhart, Winnie van der Rijn, and The Collective Mending Sessions
The metaphors of mending have been endlessly mined and continue to influence the ideas of generations of makers and artists. Mining Mending features the work of contemporary artists Rachel Breen, Brooks Harris Stevens, Lisa Kokin, Amy Meissner, Mark Newport, Celia Pym, Catherine Reinhart, Winnie van der Rijn, and The Collective Mending Sessions and highlights the themes of mending as the conceptual and technical basis for their artistic practices. Materials are mined for reuse and repurposed; materials are dismantled and objectified; holes are both accidental and intentional, some left, some repaired; cloth acts like skin, to be cut or torn; stitches act to heal; scars remain; power is questioned; things are (re)made to live another day, often to serve another purpose.
By employing stitching with conceptual and structural integrity, using recycled materials as art supplies, patching with purpose, and honoring of labor through repair, repurposing, and renewal, the powerful message and act of restoration and rejuvenation through mending serves as bold and timely means to express a broad range of positions. From healing practice to social practice, to economic and environmentally informed practice, and to building and maintaining bridges to textile traditions, the mending movement is resilient and vital, remains relevant, and continues to expand – seemingly exponentially these days! Join us for all of the related program activities. For a full schedule of events, click HERE.
(Header image: Detail from The Agony of Letting Go by Brooks Harris Stevens; Detail from Sleeve 2 by Mark Newport)
View the virtual exhibition here:
View the recording of the virtual Art Speaks conversation, Mining Mending: Social and Creative Practice, with Rachel Breen, Amy Meissner, Celia Pym, and Winnie van der Rijn here:
This exhibition is a part of our Mining Mending: Rethink, Reuse, Revive program — a series of exhibitions and events celebrating the powerful world of mending!
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support for Organizations grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Exhibitions are supported in part by funds from the Joan Mondale Gallery Endowment.