This summer we will mark the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with an exhibition of contemporary fiber art. The exhibition will feature a diverse range of artists whose work redefines fiber through merging traditional techniques like weaving, crochet, and embroidery with modern themes of identity, sustainability, and activism.

The exhibition takes the long view of the history of a nation and this place that we call home. Fiber itself has a deep symbolic meaning, recalling generations of domestic labor, the struggles for survival, and the embodiment of memories in the everyday objects that fill our homes. The exhibition considers the natural process and the geological time which has shaped the land upon which we stand, as well as the layers of material culture which sit beneath the surface of our modern lives.

You are invited to take part in creating an artwork within the exhibition. Cyrena Nouzille has installed a massive artist made ‘nest’ in our sculpture garden, made from driftwood and barbed wire and bound with fibers. Starting on April 12, community members have been invited to contribute personal narratives, memories, or messages that reflect this moment in history. These strips of paper will be woven together around the rim of the nest to replicate the patterns of lives and thoughts bound together in place that shape the place where we live.

Cover image: Alicia Piller, Remains. Tectonic forces. Vanished seas.