Works by the following artists will remain on view through February 2004: John Baldessari, Adam Cvijanovic, Nicole Eisenman, Robert Gober, Rodney Graham, Jenny Holzer, Peter Kogler, Glenn Ligon, Virgil Marti, Takashi Murakami, Jorge Pardo, Kiki Smith, Francesco Simeti, Do-Ho Suh, Rosemarie Trockel, Andy Warhol, and William Wegman.

	Glenn Ligon, Skin Tight, Bags: 1995, cotton, canvas, leather, vinyl, pigment and chain. Wallpaper: 2003, hand screenprint on acrylic and paper, Collection of The Fabric Workshop and Museum. Photo: Will Brown

The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is pleased to present On the Wall: Wallpaper and Tableau, an exhibition of wallpapers by artists John Baldessari, Mike Bidlo, Adam Cvijanovic, Drew Dominick, Nicole Eisenman, Viola Frey, General Idea, Robert Gober, Lonnie Graham, Rodney Graham, Richard Haas, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Jenny Holzer, Jim Isermann, Peter Kogler, Roy Lichtenstein, Virgil Marti, Jane Masters, Michael Mercil, Takashi Murakami, Paul Noble, Jorge Pardo, Francesco Simeti, Kiki Smith, Will Stokes, Do-Ho Suh, Rosemarie Trockel, Andy Warhol, and William Wegman and tableaus by artists Viola Frey, Renée Green, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Glenn Ligon, Carrie Mae Weems, and Rob Wynne.

Andy Warhol, Cow Wallpaper, 1966, Silkscreen ink on paper, © 2003 Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts/ARS, New York

"On the Wall is an ambitious project that explores the boundaries between art and design. The cross-pollination of functional and nonfunctional forms is a complex topic currently of vital interest to a new generation of American and multinational artists... " -- Judith Tannenbaum

	Virgil Marti, Lotus Room, 2003 Hand screenprint on Mylar with decals. Dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Aaron Igler

Artist Virgil Marti creates wallpaper as his primary artwork and is known for such work as Bullies (1992), wallpaper featuring high school bullies surrounded by a vibrant floral pattern, and Oscar Wilde (1995), an installation at the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA. Along with Marti's Bullies, On the Wall: Wallpaper and Tableau will feature Lotus Wallpaper (2003), an installation commissioned by The RISD Museum in collaboration with the RISD Printmaking Department and the FWM. It is inspired by the textile patterns of Japanese No robes, the history of decorative arts and pop culture of the 1960's and 70's.

Artists in this exhibition prove the vitality of wallpaper through masterfully executed works using repeat design featuring recognizable imagery, narratives, historical commentary, photography and other elements. Wallpaper historically has a difficult role: "It should be interesting enough to be noticed, but not so striking that it detracts from the furnishings, artwork, and architectural features of a room." (Tannenbaum) On the Wall: Wallpaper and Tableau challenges the traditional role of wallpaper as background by presenting tableaus that integrate artist's wallpaper designs with artist-designed furniture, sculpture and artwork.

View video clips from On the Wall

		Judith Tannenbaum Curator Lecture		Quick Time: hi | lo Windows Media: hi | lo
		Virgil Marti Artist Lecture		Quick Time: hi | lo Windows Media: hi | lo

The Fabric Workshop and Museum is the only contemporary art museum in the United States devoted to creating new work in fabric and other materials in collaboration with emerging and established artists from around the world. Founded in 1977, The Fabric Workshop and Museum has developed from an ambitious experiment to a renowned institution with a widely recognized residency program, an extensive collection of work by resident artists, in-house and touring exhibitions, and comprehensive educational programming that includes lectures, tours, in-school presentations, and student apprenticeships. All FWM exhibitions and programs are free and open to the public. Please note, the FWM's new hours: Mon. - Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat., 12 noon to 4 p.m.

The exhibition program of The Fabric Workshop and Museum is supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, LLWW Foundation, The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Independence Foundation, The Claneil Foundation, Philip Morris Companies, the Miller-Plummer Foundation, The Barra Foundation, and the Board of Directors and members of The Fabric Workshop and Museum.

For more information, please contact P.R. Coordinator at 215-568-1111, kathryn@fabricworkshopandmuseum.org. For general information, call 215-568-1111.

Threads of History: The Fabric Workshop and Museum 1977—2008

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