CIA student exhibition explores the relationship between body, clothing

"Clothing as Evidence" opens Friday, May 31 at Praxis Fiber Workshop in Cleveland's Waterloo Arts District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 21, 2024

CLEVELAND—Casey Wehrman, a rising senior majoring in Sculpture + Expanded Media at the Cleveland Institute of Art, is eager to present her solo exhibition, Clothing as Evidence, at the Praxis Fiber Workshop Gallery.

Clothing as Evidence will feature human-scale prints that depict embellished and embossed garments, highlighting the impressions left by clothing on those who wear them. Absent depictions of a physical body, Wehrman's work invites viewers to consider the interaction between adornment and body. The work addresses a garment's function to beautify or leave a deep, lasting mark on the wearer.

Wehrman is pursuing the indexicality of printmaking in this series, giving these articles of clothing a moment to cement the place and time of their existence. By cataloging these objects through print, they lose their ability to function as garments, yet gain a new life by leaving their impressions on a new surface.

"I'm fascinated by clothing’s ability to act as evidence to showcase the memory of skin. Clothing's ability to embellish, protect, hide, emphasize, attach, and embed itself to the wearer are all themes I explore in Clothing as Evidence," Wehrman says. "I also investigate the experience of leaving garments on view as an intimate act of honesty and openness by displaying the prints on clotheslines strung throughout the gallery."

An opening reception for Clothing as Evidence will be held from 6 to 8 pm Friday, May 31, 2024, at Praxis Fiber Workshop (15301 Waterloo Road, Cleveland).

This pop-up exhibition will also be on view from noon to 4 pm Sunday, June 2, during the gallery's regular hours of operation. Outside of those hours, the show can be viewed by appointment Saturday through Sunday, June 1–2. To schedule a visit, contact Wehrman at cbwehrman@student.www.cia.edu.

To learn more about Wehrman’s work, follow @cwbarrie on Instagram.

Clothing as Evidence was created through CIA's Creativity Works program, which is made possible by the generous support of the Fenn Educational Fund and the G.R. Lincoln Family Foundation. Creativity Works is a self-initiated internship program with the goal of supporting a student's professional development. Participating students create proposals that align with their long-term professional goals.

CONTACTS

Casey Wehrman, artist
cbwehrman@student.www.cia.edu

Michael C. Butz, Director of College Communications + External Relations
mcbutz@cia.edu / 216.421.7404

CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART
The Cleveland Institute of Art is a private, nonprofit college of art and design that has been the training ground for countless students who have gone on to make important contributions to the fields of creativity and innovation since it opened in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. Its students have designed internationally recognized products, their artwork has been exhibited in major museums and private collections around the world, and their entertainment media has been enjoyed by audiences and game players for generations. It enrolls about 600 students nationally and internationally and has a faculty of about 100 full-time and adjunct members, all of whom are practicing artists, designers and scholars.

PRAXIS FIBER WORKSHOP
Praxis Fiber Workshop builds the international community of fiber artists and makers through classes, workshops, residencies, and demonstration projects that teach the art form and demonstrate how fiber arts can be used to build healthy, resilient and inclusive communities.