aricoco show opens Thursday at Real Art Ways

Real Art Ways
56 Arbor St., Hartford, (860) 232-1006
aricoco: RUNawayHOME
Nov. 17—Feb. 22, 2012.
Opening reception during Creative Cocktail Hour: Thurs., Nov. 17, 6—8 p.m. Admission is $10/$5 Real Art Ways members.

Press release

Real Art Ways presents RUNawayHOME, an exhibition and performance by aricoco, who explores the meaning of "home" by creating a sculptural garment, made from discarded plastic bags, with which she interacts.

An opening reception on Thurs., Nov. 17 from 6—8 p.m. will be held as part of Creative Cocktail Hour, Real Art Ways' monthly third Thursday gathering. Creative Cocktail Hour is from 6-10 p.m.; admission is $10/$5 Real Art Ways members.

Aricoco creates complex woven garments from castoff scraps comprised of plastic bags, strips of fabric, buttons and even eggshells. In RUNawayHOME she will construct a moveable shelter that functions as a home and as a protective garment.

She invents ritualistic play within the nest-like structures. These performative actions serve both to revive her childhood experiences and interpret the influences of her culture.

"I perform to heal and nourish myself so that I regain strength to survive when I emerge," states the artist. "I use different materials and processes to explore specific personal or cultural meanings. Robing and disrobing my temporary shelter, I package my body to be disconnected from reality, but also to tie myself to it."

Born and raised in Tokyo, aricoco (Ari Tabei) received her BA from Sophia University in International Legal Studies in 1997. She attended the Post-baccalaureate Program in Studio Art at Brandeis University in 2001 and received her MFA from the University of Connecticut in May 2007. She was awarded the A.I.R. Gallery Fellowship for 2008-2009. She has participated in several artists' residencies including chashama, Vermont Studio Center, LMCC's Swing Space, Smack Mellon Artist Studio Program, Sculpture Space, Blue Sky Project and Triangle Workshop. She is a current artist in residence at AAI Lower East Side-Rotating Studio Program.

Also in the Galleries:

Amy Jean Porter and Matthea Harvey: The Making 'Of Lamb', opening reception Saturday, November 5 and workshop Saturday, November 19. 'Of Lamb' is an exhibition of drawings by Amy Jean Porter and poems by Matthea Harvey. Of Lamb is what Porter calls "an irreverent and irresponsible retelling of the nursery rhyme, 'Mary had a little lamb.'" Exhibition on view through Sun., Dec. 11.

Ephemeroom, on view through Sun., Jan. 15, highlights important moments and objects from Real Art Ways' history created with memorabilia, photos, ephemera from our archive.

Poster Boy: Street Alchemy 2.0 is on view through Sun., Jan. 30. Armed with a razor blade, Poster Boy manipulates vinyl advertisements to create startling, harsh or even humorous mash-ups. The works for Street Alchemy 2.0 were originally designed for an exhibition at Trinity College.