Material Intelligence magazine, published by the Chipstone Foundation, celebrates the human capacity to understand and shape the physical world around us. Inspired by the magazine’s exploration of individual commonplace materials, this exhibition foregrounds two key substances–linen and glass–and invites visitors to experiment with many more. Threads explores the metaphorical vibrancy of linen and other fibers through the work of Ann Coddington. Spheres of Influence reveals how the material possibilities of glass and the embodied skills of glassmakers have shaped intellectual life at UW-Madison. Taken together, these installations reveal the Material Intelligence that connects makers and materials across time and media. The Work in Progress Lab in the rear of the gallery invites visitors to explore these material relationships and others for themselves. Please see our workshop schedule for more information.
This exhibition is supported by the Anonymous Fund, the Chipstone Foundation, the Marilynn R. Baxter Fund, the University of Wisconsin – Madison Division of the Arts Emily Mead Baldwin Award in the Creative Arts, University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Education Impact 2030 Helen Burish Fund, and the University of Wisconsin – Madison Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research with funding from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
Spheres of Influence: Glass Across UW
The power of shaping glass has played a critical role in the history of UW–Madison. Glass has enabled us to see near, far, into, and beyond. Spheres of Influence: Glass Across UW foregrounds the material intelligence of this unique state of matter. This exhibition celebrates the embodied skills of glassmakers who make possible the imaginations of researchers across the arts and sciences, playing an instrumental role in UW’s history of innovation.
Threads: Natural Fiber and Living Lines
Ann B. Coddington works in threads—living lines created by natural fibers. This material invites layered metaphorical possibilities that are not bound by a loom or a specific interpretative category. Her iterative process invites a range of creative approaches to these materials that stretch across millennia and invite reflection on intimate and immense themes—as individuals, as a society, and as part of a changing planet.
