International Fiber Festival Officially Open

FiberPhiladelphia is an international biennial, regional festival for innovative fiber/textile art. The festival is a collaboration of artists, curators, educators, historians, galleries and institutions promoting the best in the expansive textile and fiber arts fields. Exhibitions are planned for 40 locations including major institutions and independent venues. They will include work by renowned international artists and a new generation of artists breaking into the field. Visit the FiberPhiladelphia webpage for a detailed list of events and exhibits taking place over the next two months throughout the City.

In the past 20 years, the boundaries between High/Low art and medium specific recognition have been blurred. Unlike the other major craft media, textile artists have the freedom of transcending materials, unbound from tradition. Although many choose to continue to work with historic materials and methods, many have branched out to explore the infinite possibilities of materials and techniques. One can weave metal, clay, even light. Quilts are not necessarily bound by thread or cloth and vessels can be more than objects to contain physical matter; they can reject functionality and explore conceptual notions of spiritual and metaphysical containment.

FiberPhiladelphia started as a simple initiative to bring together the creative community that worked with fibers as a media base in their art. It was spearheaded by artist Amy Orr and curator Bruce Hoffman. Read here what Orr and Hoffman have to say about Philadelphia's unique and leading role in the fiber arts.

“[With this festival] we are now hoping to establish Philadelphia as an international port for exhibiting textiles,” Hoffman noted, in an interview printed by Temple University News.

FiberPhiladelphia is partnering with InLiquid, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to providing opportunities and exposure for visual artists and designers.