NEWS

The Knoxville Museum of Art presents Anne Wilson: Local Industry

April 28, 2011

The Knoxville Museum of Art presents Anne Wilson: Local Industry May 13-August 7, 2011. This is the first public exhibition of the Local Industry Cloth, produced in 2010 by 2,100 volunteers alongside 79 experienced weavers at the Knoxville Museum of Art. The cloth, 75’ 9” long, was created over the course of three months during the artist’s project Local Industry, part of the exhibition Anne Wilson: Wind/Rewind/Weave.

The Local Industry Cloth was formed entirely from donated fibers, often from mills facing closure throughout the southeastern United States. The thread was prepared on hand-crank bobbin winders by visitors to the KMA. Wound bobbins were then used by experienced weavers to compose this single bolt of cloth, made up of only stripes, on one loom inside the gallery space. Once made, the cloth was donated to the Knoxville Museum of Art by the artist alongside an “Archive of Production” identifying all contributors to Local Industry. The “Archive of Production” is on view alongside the cloth during this exhibition.

The public is invited to the Knoxville Museum of Art Thursday, May 12 from 5:30-7:30pm for the opening reception.

Anne Wilson: Wind/Rewind/Weave was a project organized by the Knoxville Museum of Art and visual artist Anne Wilson to investigate the global crisis of production and skill based textile labor. The catalog Anne Wilson: Wind/Rewind/Weave with essays by Glenn Adamson, Jenni Sorkin, Julia Bryan-Wilson, Laura Y. Liu, and Philis Alvic is available for purchase in the museum gift shop, and is now available through distribution by WhiteWalls and the University of Chicago Press.

The Knoxville Museum of Art The Knoxville Museum of Art celebrates the art and artists of East Tennessee, presents new art and new ideas, serves and educates diverse audiences, and enhances Knoxville’s quality of life. The museum is located in downtown Knoxville at 1050 World’s Fair Park and is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10am–5pm, Friday 10am–8pm, and Sunday 1pm-5pm. Admission and parking are free. For more information, contact Angela Thomas at 865.934.2034 or visit www.knoxart.org.