Ramekon O’Arwisters leads the Crochet Jam at the Figge Art Museum -- February 23.
Friday, February 23, 5 p.m.
Figge Art Museum, 225 West Second Street, Davenport IA
With participants invite to engage in the folk-art tradition of rag weaving while fostering a culture of cooperation, Davenport's Figge Art Museum will host a Crochet Jam on February 23 led by the noted talent Ramekon O’Arwisters, a Bay Area-based social-practice artist who founded Crochet Jam in 2012, and who also has his gifts currently showcased in the museum's exhibit Tradition Interrupted.
O’Arwisters' series featured in Tradition Interruption, titled Mending, and comprised of broken pieces of ceramics tangled up in vibrantly colored crocheted fabric. The repurposed shards found in the sculptures come from everyday household objects and decorative pottery. For O’Arwisters, the folk-art tradition of weaving fabric harkens back to his childhood in North Carolina, which was filled with memories of quilting with his grandmother. As a queer, Black child growing up in the 1960s Jim Crow South, the security and love he felt when engaged in this folk-art family pastime was of critical importance. Born in Kernersville, North Carolina, O’Arwisters earned a Master of Divinity from Duke University Divinity School in 1986. He was an artist-in-residence at de Young Museum, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Recology and Vermont Studio Center. Grants and Awards receives by O’Arwisters include Artadia: The Fund for Art and Dialogue, NY San Francisco Foundation, and San Francisco Arts Commission Cultural Equity Program. He also received the 2014 Eureka Fellow, awarded by the Fleishhacker Foundation, and O’Arwisters' work has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, 7×7 Magazine, Artnet, and the San Francisco Examiner. O’Arwisters is represented by Patricia Sweetow Gallery, San Francisco, California.
Founded by O’Arwisters a dozen years ago, Crochet Jam is an ongoing community art project based on his life-long connection to the African American tradition of weaving in inclusive, friendly environments without rules or restrictions. During Crochet Jams, participants engage in the folk-art tradition of rag weaving among fellow creators, and this art workshop is perfect for all ages, with no prior experience necessary. Figge guests are invited to learn to crochet shoulder-to-shoulder with the artist and can then take their creations home, and light refreshments and a cash bar will be available.
Featuring a fascinating selection of 23 artworks created by 12 artists from around the world, Tradition Interrupted boasts works by creative talents who firmly believe that everyday objects have the power to evoke memories and inspire emotions. “This exhibition is a testament to the power of art in transcending boundaries and reshaping our understanding of tradition,” said Figge Executive Director & CEO Michelle Hargrave. “The intricate narratives woven into each piece will create a thought-provoking experience for visitors of all ages.”
The Crochet Jam with Ramekon O’Arwisters will take place on February 23, participation in the 5 - 8 p.m. event is free, and Tradition Interrupted will be on display through March 31. For more information, call (563)326-7804 and visit FiggeArtMuseum.org.
