By A Thread in San Jose

By A Thread
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art
560 South First Street San Jose, CA 95113
Exhibition: February 6 - May 15, 2010
Opening Reception: First Friday, February 5 from 5 - 9pm


The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is pleased to present, By A Thread, an exhibition of artwork by emerging and mid-career Bay Area artists who create unexpectedly nostalgic, and poetic works using thread as their primary medium.


Sample of artwork in the show

By A Thread will be exhibited in the ICA’s Main Gallery from February 6 through May 15, 2010. The show includes work from artists Jody Alexander, Susan Taber Avila, Diem Chau, Lauren DiCioccio, Robin Hill, Nina Katchadourian, Lisa Kokin, Beili Liu, Katie Lewis, Emil Lukas, Victoria May, Ali Naschke-Messing, Lisa Solomon, Hadi Tabatabai, Nicola Vruwink, and Allison Watkins. An opening reception will be held at the ICA on Friday, February 5, from 6pm to 8pm. A panel discussion with the artists will take place at the ICA on Thursday, February 11, from 7pm to 9pm.

“By a Thread is not an exhibition about precise or technically proficient sewing, embroidery or any other form of needlework,” says Cathy Kimball, ICA Executive Director. “Rather, it is an exhibition featuring contemporary art that uses thread as a medium to communicate the ideas, visions, and conceptual explorations of the participating artists. In many cases, the artists included in the exhibition have found that the ubiquitous and centuries-old process of stitching can be used in innovative ways to create something new,” explains Kimball. Thus, the exhibition will feature the work of artists who give fresh consideration to the value and function of traditional handiwork. The show will include small two-dimensional pieces and large-scale installations, as well as a wide variety of sculptural works.