Contemporary Fiber Art Featured in Exhibition Opening Sept. 19 at Ruth Funk Center

Adam Lowenstein September 1, 2015

‘Light and Shadow’ by Artist Hye Shin on View Through Dec. 12

MELBOURNE, FLA. — The Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts at Florida Institute of Technology opens Light and Shadow: Contemporary Fiber Art by Hye Shin on Saturday, Sept. 19.

The exhibition will be on view through Dec. 12 at the Funk Center on the university’s Melbourne campus.

Born and raised in South Korea, the Orlando-based Shin is known for her large, richly textured wall hangings. A teacher at Crealdé School of Art since 2003 and founder of the Focus on Fiber Art initiative, she has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally for many years.

Nature is a primary source of inspiration in Shin’s body of work: rather than conveying a literal representation of it, her abstract weavings and atmospheric installations are focused on expressing a sense of place, mood or feeling.

The pieces created for this exhibition are characterized by the dichotomy of the natural world: light vs. shadow, sadness vs. joy, life vs. death. The artist believes these qualities are inherent to nature and critical to understanding and appreciating its beauty.

Shin’s artistic process is characterized by layered weaving and expressive surface design. She knits, sews, dyes and manipulates contrasting materials including linen, horsehair and paper to convey the balance that can be achieved through fiber art.

Light and Shadow is generously sponsored in part by R.B. Case Consulting, with youth program support provided by the John K. & Julia R. Roach Fund of the Community Foundation for Brevard, in loving memory of Julia Roach.

Two Friends of Textiles Lecture Series events will be presented in conjunction with the exhibition:

At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, installation artist Karen Rifas will speak at the Denius Student Center on the Florida Tech campus. The reception begins at 5:15 p.m.At 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 17, John Kohler Arts Center Curator Alison Ferris will speak at the Denius Student Center. The reception begins at 5:15 p.m.

Admission is $10 per person for each lecture.

Regular hours for the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The center is located next to Evans Library on the Florida Tech campus, 150 W. University Blvd. in Melbourne. Admission is free.

For more information, visit http://textiles.fit.edu or call 321-674-8313.

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