Somewhere Between Something and Nothing, a SCAD Fibers MFA Thesis exhibition by Ivy Anderson, is an exploration in the absurdity of discarded objects as sculptural frameworks. Objects make up our surroundings, fulfill our needs and desires, and influence our identities. However, the mass manufactured objects of today exist with little value or meaning. This body of work aims to give these objects meaning outside of the capitalist cycles of consumption and discardment. By focusing on the uniqueness of their form rather than their intended function, nonsense objects are transformed into architectural structures. With elastic as a skin of distortion, familiar objects are abstracted by layers of color. As the veils stretch and interact, they form a topographic grid which maps the tensile surface. The bright membrane glows with an iridescent quality, shifting with the perspective of the gaze, inviting the viewer to form a new relationship with these objects.
About the artist: Ivy Anderson is a fiber artist from Spring Lake, Michigan who will complete her Master of Fine Arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA this spring. With a background in fashion design, she received her Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University, Bloomington with a concentration in wearable sculpture. Ivy specializes in machine knitting, investigating the use of discarded objects as a sculptural medium with their abstraction as a means of transforming the perception of value in consumerist society. In December 2023, she traveled to Japan to research traditional fiber processes in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. Ivy had an internship at a local non-profit organization, Re: Purpose Savannah, whose mission is establishing a sustainable future through the deconstruction, salvage, and reuse of historic buildings. She worked as a studio assistant for Savannah based artist Trish Andersen, helping with the construction of several large scale fiber installations. She has received the Art as Fashion / Fashion as Art Award in the Fall 2022 Surface Design Associations International Exhibition in Print as well as an Outstanding Student Award from the Surface Design Association in 2024. Ivy has exhibited her work in various local shows, most recently in the “One by One” exhibition at Gallery 2424, as well as a group in situ installation for an Arts Southeast fundraising event. Ivy will be having her graduate thesis exhibition “Somewhere Between Something and Nothing” in May.
Friday, May 24, 6pm: Artist Talk
Saturday, May 25, 5-9pm: Opening Reception
Sunday, May 26, 1-4pm: Open Hours
Image Caption: Ivy Anderson, Sculpture Cuddle, 2024, found objects and fabric