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Textile artist to lecture on tapestries related to contemporary culture

If you go
Who: Open to the public
What: Visiting Artist Lecture with Erin Riley
When: Tuesday, April 4, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Visual Arts Complex, room 1B20

On Tuesday, April 4, textile artist Erin Riley will give a free, public lecture about her tapestries as part of the Visiting Artist Program.

Using hand-dyed wool yarn and a floor loom, Riley weaves images of figures in states of undress or exposure, personal objects and various landscapes relating to destruction and death.

The artist spends time researching addiction, sexual experimentation, popular internet culture, the effects of single-parent households, socio-economic status and more. 

"Sideboob" by Erin Riley

"Sideboob" by Erin Riley | Photo courtesy of erinmriley.com

She often uses her own images that she has sent to lovers, as well as images of other bodies depicting moments she relates to as a sexual being.

Riley says of her work, "I am interested in the honesty of sexuality, and how imagery, relationships, pornography and sex [are] changing as a result of the mass depiction of these intimate moments.

"I am interested in how my coming of age on the internet has affected the quality or mere occurrence of [in-real-life] relationships. I am inspired by the beauty of the figure, self portraiture for pleasure and how glimpses into those moments are consumed and shared on the internet."

The lecture will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Visual Arts Complex in room 1B20.