Culture in brief: ‘String Theory’ at Studio Montclair

Culture in brief: ‘String Theory’ at Studio Montclair

Yana Rodin’s “Evanescent Aquatica.” COURTESY STUDIO MONTCLAIR

“String Theory,” an exhibition in Studio Montclair’s new incubator program at Academy Square Galleries, 33 Plymouth St. opened Oct. 4, and runs through Nov. 29. The artists in the exhibition, Zachary Smith, Emma Mierop and Yana Rodin, present different aesthetics in their work using yarn.

In String Theory, the Studio Montclair Incubator Space at Academy Square presents work by three local artists: Zachary Smith, Emma Mierop, and Yana Rodin, Their wildly different aesthetics connect through the non-traditional mediums of yarn and thread to articulate deep associations with both personal and cultural ritual traditions.

Each artist employs the same medium - thread and string - to extremely different ends, yet all emphasize material as the driving force. Unlike pen, pencil, or paint, yarn and thread hold a feminine association, and are typically considered to be tools more for handicraft and domestic than for emotional or psychological transformation. Smith, Mierop, and Rodin elevate the platform to create work akin to tangible journal entries, simultaneously linking each artist to the past, while also pushing their own narratives forward.

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Zachary Smith’s painstakingly detailed hand-embroidery takes the viewer along with the artist in his own personal journey to self-realization and sobriety. As opposed to Smith’s hand-stitching, Emma Mierop almost exclusively machine stitches her pieces, making the process more akin to drawing, with thread and machine her medium. Yana Rodin leaps from traditional use of thread and yarn, manipulating fibers into largescale hanging installations.

About the Studio Montclair Incubator Program
Studio Montclair's Incubator Program, directed by Kathryn Waggener McGuire and Lisa Diamond Rosenthal, seeks to nurture the talents of new and emerging artists and provide them with a space for what is often their first solo or small group show exhibit. Miriam Jacobs was the guest mentor for this exhibit.
About Studio Montclair
Studio Montclair Inc. is a nonprofit organization of exhibiting professional artists and others interested in the visual arts. Its mission is to promote culture and education in the visual arts and encourage emerging artists. Founded in 1997, the organization includes more than 450 members, including artists from the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Filed Under: Emma Mierop, Kathryn Waggener McGuire, Lisa Diamond Rosenthal, Studio Montclair Inc., Studio Montclair Incubator Space at Academy Square, Yana Rodin, Zachary Smith
Categories: Arts
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