“She Bends: Neon as Soulcraft” Opening Weekend at Museum of Craft and Design (SF)
Museum of Craft and Design | 2569 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
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Museum of Craft and Design presents an exhibition curated by Kelsey Issel and Meryl Pataky of She Bends, opening summer of 2024.
She Bends: Neon as Soulcraft is an inquiry into the significance of manual trade skills and their impact on our connection to the material world. This exhibition focuses on neon bending for its embodied engagement and the diverse knowledge base demanded by this craft, spanning physics, chemistry, and spatial abilities. How does exposure to such skills among young adults nurture innovative approaches to sustainability, social responsibility, and creative problem-solving?
“She Bends: Neon as Soulcraft” Opening Weekend
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | 10am-5pm
Museum of Craft and Design, 2569 Third St., SF
$8$10– Use secret promo code FUNCHEAP for $2 off tickets
- Pre-registration is encouraged.
- All activities are free with admission.
- Tickets: $10 General Admission, $8 for Students and Seniors, children under 12 are free.
- MCD members FREE
The exhibition showcases collaborative artworks crafted during three neon residencies held across the United States. Through a community-driven selection process, teaching artists were matched with emerging student artists in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Seattle. These residencies offer a platform for teaching artists to hone their pedagogy and for student artists to pursue their exploration of neon, answering to the scarcity of resources available for these synergistic learning environments in this trade.
To honor the learning journey of neon bending, participating artists are tasked with gathering the remnants and discarded glass pieces from their residencies. She Bends illuminates these artifacts of process into a large site specific “quilt,” revealing the hidden labor and dedication inherent in working with this material.
Neon as Soulcraft features teaching artists, Dani Kaes (Seattle, WA), Leticia Maldonado (Los Angeles, CA), and Victoria Ahmadizadeh Melendez (Philadelphia, PA). Through a community-driven selection process, they were matched with student artists Melissa Jean Golberg, Mayra Zambrano, and Christen Baker respectively.
Special thanks to our Student Artist Selection Committee: She Bends curators, Kelsey Issel and Meryl Pataky, Museum of Craft and Design’s Curatorial Director, Ariel Zaccheo, Headlands Center for the Arts’ Executive Director, Mari Robles, and Studio Ahead’s Principal Designer, Homan Rajai.
She Bends is an organization dedicated to building a more equitable future for neon art through public education, curatorial projects, and artist programs that foster diversity and sustainability. The organization pushes the boundaries of the neon medium beyond the confines of commercial signage into the realm of fine art.
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Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.
Cost: $8*
