The exhibition, “Flux,” features weavings of Meagan Smith, who draws inspiration from her personal encounters with Northern Landscapes. Smith embarked on artist residencies in Norway and Iceland these past two summers, starting a new collection of weavings inspired by the natural phenomena she experienced there. 

 

Smith's weavings exhibit intricately crafted textures that evoke a soft and comforting touch, delving into the interconnectedness of natural and virtual systems. The binary system and grid-like structures in her works induce a meditative and focused atmosphere, while the repetition of wavy patterns immerses the viewer in contemplation. These patterns, resembling invisible natural forces like wind or water, are created through the translation of 0s and 1s, black and white pixels in Photoshop, translating to intersecting threads happening on the loom. Smith's interest lies in the extrusion and translation of the digital to the physical, embracing the hybridization of tradition, craft, and digitalization. She employs undulating twill woven structures that activate the woven fields through their up-and-down movements. Smith also emphasizes glitches, errors, or distortions that give her forms a simultaneous graphic and natural appearance. 

 

"Flux" showcases the captivating interplay between digital and natural elements. Smith's digital weavings, with their softness, comfort, and rich history of women's work, labor, and tradition, provide a counterpoint to the starkness of the binary system, grid, and technology. They also evoke a sense of balance between the virtual and the organic. Examining Smith's weavings up close reveals systematic shifts on a macro level, while stepping back offers a pulsating sensation reminiscent of natural elements like wind breaking through clouds. The fusion of these forces and natural elements creates a harmonious blend that fosters a renewed appreciation for the interconnections between humanity, the natural world, and technology in the quest for finding solace in these fluxing organic mystical elements.  

 

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Meagan Smith is a weaver and painter who lives and works in Cleveland, Ohio. She competed in the sport of swimming for many years and this marked the beginning of a path and language that she easily understood, ultimately leading her to focus in weaving. She is specifically interested in the hybridization of craft, design, and technology. Meagan Smith received her BFA from The University of Akron in Painting (2015) and MFA in Textiles at Kent State University (2021). Last year she had a solo show at KINK Contemporary (Cleveland) and participated in the Young Textile Art Triennial at the Central Museum of Textiles (Poland). She has been interviewed by CAN Journal and Canvas Cleveland. She attended artist residencies Studio Kura (Fukuoka, Japan), KH Messen (Alvik, Norway), Tekstil Lab (Bergen, Norway), DWN (Hønefoss, Norway), and Textílmiostöo Íslands Residency (Blönduós, Iceland). She is a recipient of the HGA Scholarship, Creative Promise Award (SDA), and KSU International Travel Grant. Meagan is currently a faculty member at Cleveland Institute of Art.

 

A selection of  Meagan's work is on view in the gallery, on our website and Instagram @capacitycontemporary  Visit us at 641 W. Main Street, in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

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