Group Exhibition in Houston Shows Urban Landscape 'SPRAWL' on View October 4, 2013 - January 19, 2014, at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

With its soaring expressways and seemingly endless geography, little defines Houston in the public consciousness more than urban sprawl. This fall, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) takes on the implications of this development pattern in the national exhibition, "SPRAWL." Co-curated by former HCCC Curatorial Fellow, Susie J. Silbert, and former HCCC Curator, Anna Walker, "SPRAWL" features 16 emerging and mid-career artists whose works deal with the urban landscape.

Arranged in three sections, "Infrastructure of Expansion," "Survey, Plan, Build," and "Aftereffects," which loosely define the phases of urban growth, "SPRAWL" is intended to present a non-polemical view. As Silbert and Walker commented, "The topic of sprawl can be a lightening rod-depending on who you talk to, it can evoke visions of cookie-cutter houses and inefficient city planning or inspire discussions on freedom of choice and affordable housing. We wanted to harness that complexity to create an exhibition that looks at the totality of sprawl-the good, bad, and the ugly."

An example of this ambivalence can be seen in "Yesterday's Tomorrow," an expansive piece by ceramic artist, Dylan Beck, comprised of wood shims, plastic, and clay. In it, a shimmering column of silvery plastic gridding and brilliant blue-a simulacrum of a glass and steel skyscraper-juts up next to an ornate ogee of grouted terracotta cornices. Read from one angle, it can be seen as a symbol of upheaval, of old making way for new. From another, it represents the aesthetic dynamism of a postmodern city, incorporating diverse styles and historical periods into a cohesive whole.

Norwood Viviano takes a more analytical approach to the topic of expansion in his installation, "Cities: Departure and Deviation." Borrowing a page from architects and urban planners, the artist analyzed statistical data from 24 urban centers in the United States to create digital renderings charting their population growth and/or decline. Viviano used these renderings to create precise three-dimensional models in pristine shades of black, white and transparent grey glass that hang like plumb bobs-a further reference to processes of construction and growth. The overall effect is clinical, though the precarious nature of the material hints at an underlying fragility.

Kathryn Clark's "Foreclosure Quilts" are also grounded in data, though their presentation is anything but clinical. With their minimal geometric patterns, subdued tones and scrappy appearance, Clark's pieces incorporate the human touch of textile to make the pain of the housing crisis palpable. Using a specificity forged in years spent as an architect and urban planner, Clark translates data from the hardest hit sections of each city into layers of color, even cutting out sections to represent foreclosed properties, to create pieces such as "Detroit," "Chicago," and "Cape Coral."

In addition to the works on site, "SPRAWL" will incorporate two additional types of programming. The first is a series of walking tours, featuring craft in the suburbs of Houston, by artist Carrie Schneider as part of her project, "Hear Our Houston." The second is HCCC's inaugural speaker series, designed to provide a forum for Houston's rich dialogue on urban development. Further information on both of these series will be available in mid August. Visit the "SPRAWL" web page to view exhibition photos and the latest information on these series.

Exhibition Dates:
October 4, 2013 - January 19, 2014
Main Gallery, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

Opening Reception: Friday, October 4, 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
5:45 PM - Curators' Talk by Susie J. Silbert and Anna Walker
6:00 - 7:00 PM - Open Studios by Current Resident Artists
The opening will also feature two other new exhibitions: "Abigail Anne Newbold: Crafting Independence," in the Front Gallery, and "The Maker's Archive," in the Artist Hall.

"SPRAWL" Featured Artists

Dylan J. Beck
Kathryn Clark
Beatrice Coron
Dustin Farnsworth
Julia Gabriel
Nancy Nicholson
Sara Pfau
Keith Renner
Paul Sacaridiz
Carrie Schneider
E. Ryan Simmons
Demitra Thomloudis
Norwood Viviano
Ashley Wahba
Dane Youngren
Andrea Zeuner

"SPRAWL" Speaker Series as of 7/3/13 (Speakers, dates, times and topics finalized in August 2013)

All talks will take place at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft from October - December, 2013.

• Ed Emmett, Harris County Judge - October 18, 12 - 1 PM
• Brian Crimmins, City of Houston Planning & Development Chief of Staff - November 6, 6 - 7 PM
• Sara Zewde, Designer/Planner at Asakura Robinson December 17, 6 - 7 PM
• Carrie Schneider, Houston artist Date TBD
• Discussion with Susan Rogers and Thomas Colbert, Associate Professors at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, University of Houston - Date TBD
• Panel discussion with Houston Tomorrow, Better Houston, and HIVE - Date TBD

About Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is a nonprofit arts organization founded to advance education about the process, product and history of craft. Since opening in 2001, HCCC has emerged as an important cultural and educational resource for Houston and the Southwest-one of the few venues in the country dedicated exclusively to craft at the highest level. HCCC provides exhibition, retail and studio spaces to support the work of local and national artists. In addition, HCCC is a wonderful resource for art educators and provides mission-related educational programs in schools and underserved communities. Visitors enjoy viewing innovative exhibitions, visiting the resident artist studios, creating their own crafts in monthly HANDS-ON HOUSTON events, and shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts and home décor in the Asher Gallery.

Located in the Houston Museum District at 4848 Main Street, HCCC is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM - 5 PM, and Sunday, 12 - 5 PM. Summer Hours: Closed Sundays, July 4th - Labor Day. Winter Holiday Hours: Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, December 26th, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Free parking is available directly behind the facility, off Rosedale and Travis Street. HCCC is three blocks south of Wheeler Ave. MetroRail station on Main Street. HCCC is funded in part by grants from The Brown Foundation, Inc.; Houston Endowment, Inc.; the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance; Texas Commission on the Arts; the Wortham Foundation, Inc.; and Windgate Charitable Foundation. United Airlines is the official airline of Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. For more information, call 713.529.4848 or visit http://www.crafthouston.org.