HISTORY AND CONTEXT: 34 LECTURE SERIES PRESENTATIONS & 5 SPECIAL EXHIBITS PLANNED FOR SOFA CHICAGO 2004

CHICAGO, AUGUST 2, 2004. Providing history and context on modern and contemporary artworks and practice, 34 Lecture Series presentations and five Special Exhibits are planned to-date for SOFA CHICAGO 2004. A record 3000 persons attend the SOFA CHICAGO 2003 Lecture Series. Admission to the Lecture Series and Special Exhibits is included with the purchase of a SOFA ticket.

Noted international artists lined up to speak in the Lecture Series include:

Klaus Moje, Heller Gallery, New York, NY	· Klaus Moje (Heller Gallery, New York, NY), acclaimed Australian glass artist, master of the kiln-formed mosaic glass technique, whose experiments with the ancient technique revolutionized the art of glass;
David Nash, Sponsored by Collectors of Wood Art	· David Nash (Sponsored by Collectors of Wood Art), UK artist world-renowned for working with wood to form large, dramatic and tactile sculptures;
Albert Paley, Hawk Galleries, Columbus, OH and Leo Kaplan Modern, New York, NY	· Albert Paley (Hawk Galleries, Columbus, OH and Leo Kaplan Modern, New York, NY), master metal sculptor, recipient of the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Institute of Architects, the AIA's highest award to a non-architect;
Jon Eric Riis, Thirteen Moons Gallery (rollover image for detail view)	· Jon Eric Riis (Thirteen Moons Gallery, Santa Fe, NM) celebrated tapestry weaver, renowned for his probing contemporary subject matter, expert draftsmanship, and creative surface embellishment;
Tessa Clegg, Barrett Mardsen Gallery, London, UK	· Tessa Clegg (Barrett Marsden Gallery, London, UK) who uses the labor intensive, lost wax techniques of casting glass to produce strong sculptural pieces exploring the vessel form;
John Cederquist, Franklin Parrasch Gallery, New York, NY	· John Cederquist (Franklin Parrasch Gallery, New York, NY), master of illusion, whose trompe l' oeil furniture sculptures defy the notion that form must follow function.
Gyöngy Laky, browngrotta arts, Wilton, CT	· Gyöngy Laky (browngrotta arts, Wilton, CT) Hungarian born, environmental sculpture artist, and founder of the internationally acclaimed Fiberworks, Center for the Textile Arts in Berkeley, CA;
Wendy Ramshaw, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, UK (rollover image for detail view)	· Wendy Ramshaw (Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, UK) United Kingdom’s foremost art jeweler, famous for her signature sets of rings on Perspex stands, and abstract pieces in precious metals and gems;
Grethe Wittrock, Gallery deCraftig, Copenhagen, Denmark	· Grethe Wittrock (Gallery deCraftig, Copenhagen, Denmark), acclaimed fiber artist, whose wall works of paper yarn reference the Nordic Rya tradition.

Emily DuBois, Snyderman Works Gallery, Philadelphia, PA will speak in the Lecture Series presentation American Fiber International Stars Shine at the International Triennial.

Also noteworthy are two panel discussions organized by Friends of Fiber Art International, featuring American artists selected to exhibit in the 11^th annual 2004 International Triennial of Tapestry at The Central Museum of Textiles in Lódz, Poland, the oldest and most prestigious international exhibition promoting contemporary tapestry in the world.

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Left to right: Elisabeth Sandler, Norm Sandler, Dale Anderson, Doug Anderson, Andrea Bronfman, and Charles Bronfman in front of AIDA Special Exhibit at SOFA CHICAGO 2003.

Principal among the Special Exhibits planned for SOFA CHICAGO 2004 is Israel2004, Contemporary and Conceptual Art, organized by the Association of Israel’s Decorative Arts (AIDA), a project initiated at SOFA CHICAGO 2003 by collectors Charles and Andy Bronfman and Doug and Dale Anderson.

Artist Revital Ben-Asher Peretz (left) with Aviva Ben-Sira, Eretz Israel Museum, Israel, in AIDA Special Exhibit at SOFA CHICAGO 2003.

Alon Pinkus, Israel Consul General in New York (left) with Charles Bronfman at the International Reception at SOFA CHICAGO 2003.

Following the successful formula of last year’s Special Exhibit at SOFA CHICAGO 2003, AIDA will present the work of 8-10 artists living and working in Israel. Dale Anderson will again curate, advised by Jane Adlin, Assistant Curator, Department of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; Aviva Ben-Sira, Eretz Israel Museum, Israel; Rivka Saker, Sotheby’s Israel; and Davira Taragin, Racine Art Museum. Charles Bronfman, Chairman of The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, will author an accompanying essay in the SOFA CHICAGO 2004 catalog.

Ed Rossbach Pre-Columbian Jacquard #2,1986 Jacquard woven; painted 14 x 28 browngrotta arts, Wilton,CT

Another key Special Exhibit at SOFA CHICAGO 2004 is Ed Rossbach: Quiet Revolutionary. Ed Rossbach was a pioneer in the fiber arts movement, known for his curiosity about textile structures and his experiments with nontraditional materials. His explorations were remarkably parallel to the free experimentation of Abstract Expressionism, the irony of Pop and Funk Art, and the cerebral qualities of abstraction, Op Art and late 60s minimalist systems art. This special exhibit will present a unique grouping of works by Rossbach, drawn from the artist’s private collection. Spanning more than 30 years, the exhibit combines textiles, whimsical baskets and objects -- made of everything from plastic tubing and newspaper to palm fiber, horsehair and twigs. Co-sponsored by browngrotta arts, LongHouse Reserve and SOFA.

Joy, Christine E. Figure, 2004 Willow Photo: Tom Grotta browngrotta arts, Wilton, CT

The Special Exhibit Whole Grain: Sculptured Wood 2004, presented by Collectors of Wood Art (CWA), and curated by Mark Leach, Deputy Director, The Mint Museums, NC, presents contemporary wood art created by widely varying approaches. Mark Leach said, “The emphasis will be principally, though not exclusively sculptural, (suggesting) some of the conceptual parameters and technical approaches employed by artists today.” Featured artists include Robyn Horn, Todd Hoyer, David Nash, Stony Lamar and Christian Burchard. Robyn Horn and collector Arthur Mason will join Leach in an accompanying SOFA Lecture Series presentation.

The Craft House at Penland, built in 1935, is one of the largest log structures in the Southeast. Photo: Robin Dreyer

Artist Nick Cave leads his class in a performance piece at Penland Photo: Dana Moore

Special exhibits at SOFA CHICAGO also provide a venue for key non-profit arts and educational institutions to share their rich history and artistic contributions with the SOFA audience. Penland School of Crafts: Contemporary Traditions celebrates Penland School of Crafts’ 75 years of service to the field of craft. Since 1929, Penland has dedicated itself to personal and artistic growth through craft; its history comes from generations of instructors, resident artists, core students, and students sharing a passion for the handmade object. The 27 artists featured in the Special Exhibit all have a strong commitment to craft education and their work exemplifies the broad definition of ‘craft’ at Penland School. Curated by Kathryn Gremley, Penland Gallery Exhibitions Manager, and Dana More, Penland Director of Programs; and presented by Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Artists Bill Daley, Alida Fish and James Tanner, with Nick Joerling and Robin Dreyer of Penland present a related Lecture Series presentation.

Watershed’s Summer Studio Photo: Ingrid Bathe

The curated Special Exhibit, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts: Intuitive Balance presents selected works, including 2 large scale installations, by artists whose experiences at Watershed bear witness to the significant impact which the gift of time can yield in an artists’ professional life. Presented by Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, ME. Anne Carolyn Wollman, a Watershed trustee, said, “Endless creativity and energy, freedom and the courage to pursue it, are the gifts that Watershed awards.” In an accompanying SOFA Lecture Series presentation, Chris Gustin, Watershed co-founder and emeritus professor, University of Massachussetts, Dartmouth, explains the concept that initiated this internationally recognized ceramics residency and survey its 20-year history, while Executive Director Lynn Thompson speaks to Watershed's distinctive place among arts organizations.

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