SPILL OVER
Group exhibition

Curated by the 2019-2020 University of Delaware Curatorial Fellow, Sam Whalen

March 13 - August 23, 2020

OPENING EVENT: Friday, August 7 | 5 - 8 PM

In a joint venture with the University of Delaware, The Delaware Contemporary is pleased to announce Spill Over, a group exhibition curated by the 2019-2020 University of Delaware Curatorial Fellow, Sam Whalen. In conjunction with The Delaware Contemporary's 2020 major event, Art & Couture: A Contemporary Centennial, this exhibition showcases the work of four female artists: Amy Brener, Loren Erdrich, Kara Mia Fenoglietto, and Rachel Klinghoffer. Spill Over explores the complicated relationships between femininity, adornment, and the physicality of the body. Flooded raw pigments, sculptures dripping with objects both emphasized and obscured, and crushed garments serve as entry points into examining control in relation to the construction of gender identity. 

The works glitter with evidence of the rejection of polished perfection in physical forms while questioning the impact of aging, style obsolescence, and bodily compliance on perceived value. Brener encases disposable grooming items to create an oversized silicone breastplate that becomes a ghostly reminder of the "spill over" from a consumption-obsessed society. Erdrich's manipulation of unfixed, synthetic and organic pigments destabilizes the boundaries between forms on her canvases, sometimes completely dissolved by an overflow of water in the process. Fenoglietto's work explores the self through mixed media materials that are often wearable, as her pieces explore the belief that garments inform our sense of identity and emotions. Klinghoffer utilizes nostalgic items to build up surfaces on sculptures that blur the line between decorated and obliterated. These sculptures investigate her personal connection to femininity, Judaism, romance, and notions of what painting is or isn't.

Spill Over considers the cultural risks and rewards when drawing attention to one's self, as high visibility can and does become dangerous for many femmes. In this alternative embrace of feminine motifs, trying to be seen becomes a powerful act of rebellion, showcasing mastery over one's body and unapologetically embracing vulnerability.

Amy Brener was born in Victoria, BC, Canada and is currently based in Queens, New York. Since graduating with an MFA from Hunter College in 2010, her work has exhibited at galleries and institutions in the US, Canada, Europe, and China. Some highlights include MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, NY; the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, TX; Jack Barrett in New York, NY; Galerie Pact in Paris, France; Reyes Projects in Detroit, MI; Wentrup Gallery in Berlin, Germany; MacLaren Art Centre in Ontario, Canada; and, Riverside Art Museum in Beijing, China. Her work has been featured in publications such as Art in America, The New York Times, The Brooklyn Rail, Cura, Hyperallergic, V Magazine, and Artnet News. 

Loren Erdrich has been awarded residencies at the Jentel Foundation, Burren College of Art, Santa Fe Art Institute, thrice at Art Farm Nebraska, Sculpture Space, and the Vermont Studio Center. Recent notable accomplishments include publication in ARTMAZE; exhibitions with Proto Gomez; Field Projects in New York, NY; and, Wasserman Projects in Detroit, MI. Erdrich frequently collaborates with the poet Sierra Nelson, coauthoring the award winning I Take Back the Sponge Cake (published by Rose Metal Press). She holds a MFA from Burren College of Art at the National University of Ireland, a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania. Erdrich lives and works in New York, NY.

Kara Mia Fenoglietto is an emerging artist, fashion designer, and forecaster based in Seattle, WA. A current member of the artist collective Shift, she received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2019, she presented her first solo show titled "Wallflower" in Seattle, WA. "Wallflower" is a conceptual fashion installation that challenges traditional trappings of femininity. 

Rachel Klinghoffer lives and works in South Orange, NJ. She received her MFA in painting with honors from Rhode Island School of Design and a BFA in painting, Visual and Critical Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has exhibited with Zero Zero, LA; Ballast Projects, Alt Esc, BK; SPRING/BREAK, Cuevas Tilleard, NY; The Willows, NY; Fjord Gallery, PA; Interface Gallery, CA; Tiger Strikes Asteroid, PA; Ms. Barber's, LA; Trestle Projects, BK; NURTURE Art, BK; Thomas Haeckel Gallery, NY; Projekt722, BK; NARS Foundation, NY; and Samson Projects, MA. Her work has been featured in The Brooklyn Rail, New American Paintings, Hyperallergic, Title Magazine, Vice, and Observer Arts named her one of the most promising names on the scene. 

E. Avery Draper Gallery