CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) — The Giertz Gallery at Parkland College will present a new exhibition, “Fragments and layers: Works by Erin Furimsky and Tali Weinberg,” opening Monday, Feb. 16.
The exhibition brings together two artists whose practices explore interconnected systems and structures through material, process and form. Though working in different media, both Furimsky and Weinberg examine how layers, patterns and repetition create meaning over time.
Furimsky, a studio artist based in Bloomington, Illinois, creates ceramic sculptures that investigate the relationship between sculptural form and highly ornamented surfaces. Her work references the human body and the familiar, revealing strength and fragility through buoyant energy and playful detail. Furimsky holds a BFA from Pennsylvania State University and an MFA from Ohio State University, and her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taiwan.
Weinberg, who is based in Champaign-Urbana, produces interdisciplinary works primarily through weaving and installation. Her practice addresses environmental systems, extraction and interconnectedness, drawing visual influence from natural forms and microscopic life. She holds degrees from New York University and the California College of the Arts, and her work is included in collections such as the Berkeley Art Museum and the Georgia Museum of Art.
Furimsky will present a lecture at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20, in lecture hall C118 at Parkland College, followed by a ceramics surface design demonstration in Studio C193. Weinberg will give a lecture at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, also in C118. Both events are free and open to the public.
A public reception for the artists will be held Thursday, Feb. 19, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with a gallery talk at 6:15 p.m. The exhibition runs through Tuesday, March 31.
The Giertz Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, and noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.