The Fabric Workshop and Museum

The Fabric Workshop and Museum Collaborating with artists, revealing new possibilities.
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The Fabric Workshop and Museum was founded in 1977 with a visionary purpose: to stimulate experimentation among leading contemporary artists and to share the process of creating works of art with the public. Providing studio facilities, equipment, and expert technicians, FWM originally invited artists to experiment with fabric, and later with a wide range of innovative materials and media. From th

e outset, FWM also served as an education center for Philadelphia’s youth who, as printing apprentices, learned technical and vocational skills along with approaches to creative expression. Today, FWM is recognized as an internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum, uniquely distinguished as the only institution in the United States devoted to creating work in new materials and new media in collaboration with artists coming from diverse artistic backgrounds—including sculpture, installation, video, painting, ceramics, and architecture. Research, construction, and fabrication occur on-site in studios that are open to the public, providing visitors with the opportunity to see artwork from conception to completion. In fact, the FWM’s permanent collection includes not only complete works of art, but also material research, samples, prototypes, and photography and video of artists making and speaking about their work. FWM seeks to bring this spirit of artistic investigation and discovery to the wider public and to area school children in particular, to ensure and broaden their access to art, and to advance the role of art as a catalyst for innovation and social connection. FWM offers an unparalleled experience to the most significant artists of our time, students, and the general public. The FWM has developed from an ambitious experiment to a renowned institution with a widely-recognized Artist-in-Residence Program, an extensive permanent collection of new work created by artists at the Museum, in-house and touring exhibitions, and comprehensive educational programming including lectures, tours, in-school presentations and student apprenticeships.

SPECIAL TICKET UPDATE | Now you can enjoy a Fab Night of art, music, food, drink, dancing, and making through 3 ticket o...
09/13/2023

SPECIAL TICKET UPDATE | Now you can enjoy a Fab Night of art, music, food, drink, dancing, and making through 3 ticket options:

$250 Full Benefit Ticket
Enjoy a full evening of festivities! There will be cocktails, remarks, dinner, dancing, auctions, desserts, and more!

$125 Half Benefit Ticket
Join us at 6 pm for a shortened portion of our evening! Enjoy cocktails, dinner, live jazz performed by V. Shayne Frederick, and dancing.

$50 Dance Party Ticket
Night owl? Start your evening with us at 8 pm to dance the night away with Rashid Zakat and enjoy a dessert to cap off the night!

Tickets: https://bit.ly/FWMBenefitTickets2023

🍸 Creative cocktail attire

Photos of V. Shayne Frederick and Rashid Zakat courtesy of the artists.

It’s  ! What better way to celebrate than with a FLASH SALE of our favorite bears by Will Stokes, Jr? Today only, get $5...
09/09/2023

It’s !

What better way to celebrate than with a FLASH SALE of our favorite bears by Will Stokes, Jr? Today only, get $5 off Will’s 8 inch bear or $10 off the 14 inch bear.

Screenprinted here at FWM and locally sewn, these “Willie” bears aren’t available anywhere else.

Get yours>> https://bit.ly/3ZhF1w0



Will Stokes, Jr., in collaboration with FWM. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

🥁 Drumroll please... Move and groove with these top-tier Philly performers at our 2023 Fall Benefit! Vibe to live jazz w...
09/07/2023

🥁 Drumroll please...

Move and groove with these top-tier Philly performers at our 2023 Fall Benefit!

Vibe to live jazz with V. Shayne Frederick during our dinner hour. Later on, let loose with DJ Rashid Zakat during our dance party!

Tickets + full program of the Benefit>> https://bit.ly/FWMFallBenefit2023

Image: V. Shayne Frederick (at left) and DJ Rashid Zakat (at right). Photos courtesy of the artists.

Join us this Saturday, September 9 from 3–5 pm at the Asian Arts Initiative for an opening reception of “Eiko Otake: I I...
09/06/2023

Join us this Saturday, September 9 from 3–5 pm at the Asian Arts Initiative for an opening reception of “Eiko Otake: I Invited Myself, Vol. III: A Body.” Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see Eiko’s live performance intervention during a screening of “Slow Turn.”

This event is free and open to all but seating is limited for the performance. Two sessions are available at 3:00 and 4:30 pm. Reserve your tickets now>> https://bit.ly/45LfL3x

Eiko Otake is a world-renowned movement-based, interdisciplinary artist, born and raised in Japan and a resident of NYC since 1976. This immersive exhibition at AAI will primarily feature her dance-for-camera and media work as well as a premier of her most recent projects.

Later this fall, FWM will open “Eiko Otake: I Invited Myself, Vol. III: Duets” as part of this co-presentation with AAI and the artist.

Image: “Slow Turn,” performed by Eiko Otake at Belvedere Plaza, New York, NY, 2021. Photo credit: William Johnston; Moran Plant. Photo credit: William Johnston; Eiko Otake and Chitra Vairavan. Photo credit: William Johnston.

UP NEXT | Jessica Campbell: Heterodoxy, October 6, 2023–March 24, 2024 Produced in collaboration with the FWM Studio, th...
09/05/2023

UP NEXT | Jessica Campbell: Heterodoxy, October 6, 2023–March 24, 2024

Produced in collaboration with the FWM Studio, this exhibition and discussion series by artist Jessica Campbell explores the complex personal, political and professional relationships facilitated by the twentieth century secret feminist debate club named Heterodoxy.

Join us October 5 for our opening celebration! Be the first to gather in the space—an interpretation of Polly’s Restaurant, an early meeting place of the group—to discover artworks relating to the club and its members, outfitted in an immersive tufted rug environment.

Learn more about Heterodoxy and RSVP>> https://bit.ly/FWM_Heterodoxy

Image: Project assistants Basak Kilicbeyli (at left) and Barbara Botting work in the FWM studio on a series of large tufted rugs. Jessica Campbell, in collaboration with FWM. “Heterodoxy,” 2023. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

LAST CHANCE | Explore our history of orchestrating situations for artistic collaboration and experimentation, including ...
09/03/2023

LAST CHANCE | Explore our history of orchestrating situations for artistic collaboration and experimentation, including works from two of our earliest Artists-in-Residence, Sam Gilliam and Jody Pinto, alongside other works realized over the decades with Tommy Joseph, Gabriel Martinez, Tim Rollins and K.O.S., and Carrie Mae Weems.

In "Museum As..." see how our pursuit of unexpected ideas, materials, and processes has resulted in a museum unlike any other, now through September 10.

Free Tickets>> https://bit.ly/FreeTicketsFWM
Explore More>> https://bit.ly/MuseumAs

Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

At our fall benefit, we’re celebrating 35 years with Christina Roberts, FWM's Master Printer and Director of Education. ...
08/31/2023

At our fall benefit, we’re celebrating 35 years with Christina Roberts, FWM's Master Printer and Director of Education.

Here’s Christina herself on how it all started for her:

“While a sophomore at Moore College here in Philadelphia, I met [FWM founder] Kippy Stroud on a tour of the Fabric Workshop and immediately connected with the idea. With my love of contemporary art, printing, fabric, and dyes, it felt like home! The studio had a warm feeling and vibrancy that was really exciting. Kippy had a way of making me feel welcome and suggested I apply to the apprenticeship program. I came back the next summer (I begged to come back actually!) and filled the role of Apprentice Coordinator as a paid intern. I remember being in my cap and gown, ready to head to graduation when I got a call from [longtime Project Coordinator] Mary Anne Friel with news that I got the job. I started that Monday and never looked back.”

Celebrate a Fab Night at the Fabric Workshop and Museum, Wednesday, September 27. Early bird tickets are available through Labor Day so get yours today>> https://bit.ly/FWMFallBenefit2023

Image: Christina Roberts printing Louise Bourgeois enormous scarf, "She Lost It," c. 1992. FWM Visual Archives.

08/30/2023

Almost sold out!

Interested in learning how print, pattern, and color play into radical progress? Print your own Marimekko-inspired tote following a talk: History of Printing for Progress. We have just a handful of tickets remaining!

This night of bold conversation is led by FWM Director of Education Christina Roberts and Christopher Malone, curator of American Swedish Historical Museum’s () exhibition “Radically Marimekko.”

Friday, September 15, 6–8:30 pm
Tickets: https://bit.ly/44CTW4F



Music: Last Summer by
Video by Kristina Price

  | If you had a suit tailored to represent you to the fullest, what might it look like?  Over six years, Tommy Joseph w...
08/28/2023

| If you had a suit tailored to represent you to the fullest, what might it look like?

Over six years, Tommy Joseph worked with our Studio to produce a men’s suit that would do just that for him. Belonging to the Eagle Moiety of the Kaagwaantaan Clan (traditionally based in present-day Alaska and Western Canada), Joseph had his suit cut to his measurements and made of custom-designed fabric to create a modern, wearable representation of Tlingit totemic motifs, which he titled “My Ancestors.”

See it in our installation “Museum As...” through September 10 and then head to the FWM Shop where a related silk scarf by the artist is available for purchase.

On View >> https://bit.ly/MuseumAs
Shop Scarf>> https://bit.ly/3UYAewg

Happy National Dog Day to all the good doggos out there! Give your pup an extra treat for us, they deserve it all 🐶 ⁠⁠Th...
08/26/2023

Happy National Dog Day to all the good doggos out there! Give your pup an extra treat for us, they deserve it all 🐶 ⁠

These editioned puppers are on view and available for sale in our shop: https://bit.ly/3QUC6qP



Images: From left to right: William Wegman. “Hand Some,” 2002; William Wegman, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia. “Forest,” 1999. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño; “Hand Some” (detail); “Forest” (scarf detail). Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

Our Yukata Summer Kimono Master Class went off without a hitch!  ⁠⁠Participants came from near and far, working methodic...
08/24/2023

Our Yukata Summer Kimono Master Class went off without a hitch! ⁠

Participants came from near and far, working methodically over two weekends on custom kimonos made specifically to their measurements. Led by master kimono maker Tsuyo Onodera and her daughter Maki Aizawa, the workshop consisted of both machine and hand sewing and the use of tools specific to kimono-making. While the kimonos were made of a simple, soft white cotton fabric, participants were invited to add a screenprinted detail. ⁠

Though the series has wrapped, you can still find examples of Maki’s contemporary kimonos and accessories in the FWM Shop. ⁠



Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño

The subject of this work might surprise you. It’s based on a young woman’s account of being born in bo***ge in the South...
08/22/2023

The subject of this work might surprise you.

It’s based on a young woman’s account of being born in bo***ge in the South before the Civil War and her eventual escape from an abusive master. She describes seven years of hiding in a small attic in her grandmother’s house, where she glimpses “the colors of joy” in the form of brilliant, festive colored ribbons worn by Christmas revelers.

A closer look brings into view actual pages from the book on which it’s based—Harriet Jacobs’ “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”—which cover the surface of a canvas just beneath the vertical bands of satin ribbons.

Created by Tim Rollins and K.O.S. (Kids of Survival— a program for South Bronx teenagers including Angel and Jorge Abreu, Rick Savinon, and Robert Branch, who collaborated with Rollins over a period of decades beginning in the 1980s), this work is on view alongside another literary-inspired work, “Invisible Man (after Ralph Ellison).”



Images: Tim Rollins and K.O.S., in collaboration with FWM. “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (After Harriet Jacobs)," 1997. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

📸 It’s World Photography Day! To celebrate, we’re highlighting former Artist-in-Residence, Lorna Simpson.  “I had been w...
08/19/2023

📸 It’s World Photography Day! To celebrate, we’re highlighting former Artist-in-Residence, Lorna Simpson.

“I had been working in a consistent way for almost ten years. I knew how do it. Now I think I am challenging myself more. I surprise myself. It has made me more relaxed, more open to experiment,” Simpson told Whitney Museum of American Art after making her multi-media work, “Standing in the Water,” with the FWM Studio.

What made this work from 1994 such a departure?

Simpson, who was already known for her conceptual use of photography depicting Black figures juxtaposed with text fragments, used her residency to experiment with new materials and found ways to explore bodily issues—both personal and political—that were purposefully absent of the figure. Rooted in photography, this work is comprised of video, text, sound, and silkscreen-printed industrial felt floor pieces that together explore the many motions, sounds, and reverberations of water.

Following her residency, Simpson’s work continued on an experimental path of exploring interiority and narrative through disparate media. Learn more about Lorna Simpson>> https://bit.ly/44hgQyo

ON VIEW | Jody Pinto, one of our first-ever Artists-in-Residence, executed this garment to be worn, entitled “Hair Shirt...
08/17/2023

ON VIEW | Jody Pinto, one of our first-ever Artists-in-Residence, executed this garment to be worn, entitled “Hair Shirt,” in 1978. Fabricated from pigskin and synthetic satin, this wearable artwork features images of body hair screenprinted onto the armpits and chest.

While a number of Pinto’s works featured anthropomorphized landscapes that explore wounds and stitches, this project pulled from her own illustrations of landscape. Cascading plants evolved to evoke the look of body hair, especially when worn.

Prior to her residency, Pinto founded the r**e crisis center (now known as Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence) and served as its director from 1972–1974.

Check out Hair Shirt in “Museum As...” through September 10. Free tickets>> https://bit.ly/FreeTicketsFWM

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08/17/2023

“There have been instances where unpaid internship opportunities have actually been a luxury that some students can ill afford,” said Patricia Wilson Aden of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

We’re so proud of our summer interns Aeniah Godwin and Saoni Lorenzo, who spoke to Philadelphia Inquirer about their exp...
08/16/2023

We’re so proud of our summer interns Aeniah Godwin and Saoni Lorenzo, who spoke to Philadelphia Inquirer about their experiences at FWM and the importance of paid internships.

“Godwin said they both bring a “younger audience perspective” to the museum, and Lorenzo said they bring “technical literacy” and a morale boost. [They say] it’s hard to find paid internships in the arts. Getting one is not only a financial plus, but it’s a boon to their resumes, they both said. “With the rarity of paid internships, there’s a kind of prestige to having one,” Lorenzo said.”

These rising seniors have been an incredible addition to our Education team this season, thanks to a partnership with Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

“There have been instances where unpaid internship opportunities have actually been a luxury that some students can ill afford,” said Patricia Wilson Aden of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Flash Sale! It’s   and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than with the “Mary Cassatt of not getting caught,...
08/16/2023

Flash Sale! It’s and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than with the “Mary Cassatt of not getting caught,” “the Samuel Beckett of no one will check it,” “the Yoko Ono of never working pro bono,” “the Grant Wood of—" well, you get it!

The Mary Reid Kelley and Patrick Kelley monograph book is 30% off—today only! Get yours in-store or here>> https://bit.ly/3y3vblV

This book contains all of Mary's scripts, behind-the-scenes photography, and essays by the greats, including Robert Storr, Catherine Wood, and Jenelle Porter.

Images courtesy of the artists.

They did it! 🎉  ⁠⁠We’re sending a very big congratulations to our Summer 2023 Apprentice cohort. They endured and conque...
08/15/2023

They did it! 🎉 ⁠

We’re sending a very big congratulations to our Summer 2023 Apprentice cohort. They endured and conquered and came out with some very special prints. ⁠

👀 Peep Wit’s yardage! It’s like a little capsule of their apprenticeship experience, something we definitely haven’t seen before! ⁠

Don’t forget, today’s the deadline for the Spring 2024 session! Get those applications in through the link in bio. ⁠

Images: Wit López with their yardage, “Why You Soooo Newsy?!” and detail; Anthony Folks with their yardage, “Guiding Memories” and detail; Peri Law with their yardage, “Internal Archives on View” and detail; Keith Murphy with their yardage, “Between the Lines” and detail. Image credit: Carlos Avendaño.

🚨 Deadline Alert 🚨This Tuesday, August 15 is your final opportunity to apply to the Spring 2024 College/Post-grad sessio...
08/13/2023

🚨 Deadline Alert 🚨

This Tuesday, August 15 is your final opportunity to apply to the Spring 2024 College/Post-grad session of our Apprentice Training Program (ATP).

This holistic studio experience enables artists of all disciplines to develop skills in screenprinting large-scale repeat patterns on fabric to enhance their studio practice.

See details and apply here >> https://bit.ly/3uiuNNV

Image: Summer 2023 College/Post-grad Apprentice Keith Michael Murphy, printing their yardage design “Between the Lines” with Anthony Folks. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

What is the sound of 1,000 vinyl records being smashed one at a time? What might it sound like if plants generated music...
08/12/2023

What is the sound of 1,000 vinyl records being smashed one at a time? What might it sound like if plants generated music?

This , come to our galleries for an unusual vinyl experience! In “Sonic Presence (or Absence): Sound in Contemporary Art,” these works—“Harmony of the Spheres” by Kevin Cooley and Phillip Andrew Lewis and “Music for Plants, by Plants” by Raúl Romero—explore the relic of performance and resonances with nature.



Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño

You're invited to a fab night at FWM!Join us for this benefit event as we celebrate an incredible milestone in our histo...
08/10/2023

You're invited to a fab night at FWM!

Join us for this benefit event as we celebrate an incredible milestone in our history: the 35-year tenure of FWM’s Master Printer and Director of Education, Christina Roberts.

For three and a half decades, Roberts has dedicated her life and artistry to helping students become professionals in the arts and helping professional artists become students again. We are honored to acknowledge her monumental contribution to FWM and the contemporary art world at large.

Wednesday, September 27, 5–9 pm
Early bird tickets on sale>> https://bit.ly/FWMFallBenefit2023

Image: Graphics inspired by Mary Heilmann's Ser**e and Toshiko Takaezu's Soft Moons. Additional graphics via Freepik.com. Design by Jeremy Tenenbaum.

Happy birthday to Yinka Shonibare CBE RA! To create this Afrofuturist sculpture, the artist scoured Philly’s South Stree...
08/09/2023

Happy birthday to Yinka Shonibare CBE RA!

To create this Afrofuturist sculpture, the artist scoured Philly’s South Street neighborhood for vinyl records in 2002. Visual iconography of the Philly Sound movement from the 1970s and then-emerging local artist Jill Scott inspired four batik-influenced designs that clothe two life-size astronaut figures with the cultural energy of Black musical artists.

On view in “Sonic Presence (or Absence): Sound in Contemporary Art.” Free tickets>> https://bit.ly/sonicpresence

Images: Yinka Shonibare, in collaboration with FWM. “Space Walk,” 2002. Pigment on cotton sateen and cotton brocade, Fiberglas, resin, plastic. Edition 1/2. Collection of The Fabric Workshop and Museum. Photo: Aaron Igler

Big things are happening in the studio! Join us this Friday for the Apprentice Closing Ceremony to see thrilling designs...
08/08/2023

Big things are happening in the studio! Join us this Friday for the Apprentice Closing Ceremony to see thrilling designs by artists Anthony Folks, Peri Law, Wit López, and Keith Murphy, plus our High School Apprentices, and congratulate them on their work. You’ll also get to explore the print studio, hear from the artists about their experience, and learn more about their process. ⁠

Friday, August 11, 4:30–6 pm ⁠
RSVP: https://bit.ly/44OB43S



Image: Peri Law, at left, printing her “Internal Archives on View” yardage with FWM Studio Education Coordinator Veronica Hanssens. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

  | Inspired by his visit to Japan, Richard Tuttle worked with the FWM Studio during his 2014–15 residency to produce tw...
08/07/2023

| Inspired by his visit to Japan, Richard Tuttle worked with the FWM Studio during his 2014–15 residency to produce two editions of a hand-sewn yukata, or summer kimono: one for men and one for women. Made of sarashi cloth, a traditional Japanese cotton fabric, the editions’ pattern was chusen-dyed, a traditional Japanese method of dyeing using stencil paper. The pattern of the woman’s yukata design is a 90-degree rotation of the man’s design. As Tuttle explained, “By changing the direction of the bars, dynamic energy is achieved.” ⁠

Learn more while snacking on some Japanese treats at this Wednesday’s lunchtime talk with Nami Yamamoto, FWM’s Studio Director: https://bit.ly/3AIXsxW

Tuttle’s “Extraordinary” kimono is on view and for sale as part of our Shopworks exhibition. ⁠



Images: Richard Tuttle, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia. “Extraordinary” (M HC1) (pictured on the artist), 2015. Photo credit: Patrick Smith; "Extraordinary," 2015 Hand-sewn yukata with obi, chusen-dyed cotton and silk. Yukata: 68 x 52 inches; Obi: 3.9 x 157.5 inches. Edition of 20. Photo credit: Will Brown.

Look at these busy busy bees! 🐝 ⁠⁠The Summer College/Postgrad Apprentices have completed their one-color repeat designs....
08/01/2023

Look at these busy busy bees! 🐝 ⁠

The Summer College/Postgrad Apprentices have completed their one-color repeat designs. It’s never easy when the possibilities are endless! Stay tuned to see their final three-color patterns, which they’ll reveal at their closing event, Friday, August 11: https://bit.ly/44OB43S

Images: Anthony Folks printing with Studio Education Coordinator Veronica Hanssens; Anthony Folks’ repeat design; Wit López printing with Anthony Folks; Wit López’s repeat design; Veronica Hanssens printing with Keith Murphy; Keith Murphy’s repeat design; Peri Law printing with Ash Limés-Castellana; Peri Law’s repeat design. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño

Today is  ! On view now is this folding screen by Carrie Mae Weems, which retells the biblical story of Adam and Eve thr...
07/30/2023

Today is !

On view now is this folding screen by Carrie Mae Weems, which retells the biblical story of Adam and Eve through silkscreened imagery and gold embroidery that reads: “She’d always been the apple/Of Adam’s Eye” (front panels) and “Temptation my ass, desire has its place, and besides, they were both doomed from the start” (on reverse).

What do you think Weems meant by this?

Get the book to learn more about this work. Only $12.95>>https://bit.ly/459eJgT

Images: Carrie Mae Weems, in collaboration with FWM. “The Apple of Adam’s Eye,” 1993. Pigment and embroidery on sateen, Australian lacewood frame, 75 x 80 ¾ x 1 ¾ inches. Edition of 5. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

Happy caturday, friends! 🐱Kiki Smith, “Owl and Pussycat,” 2002. Now on view>> https://bit.ly/ShopworksPhoto credit: Carl...
07/29/2023

Happy caturday, friends! 🐱

Kiki Smith, “Owl and Pussycat,” 2002.
Now on view>> https://bit.ly/Shopworks

Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño

07/27/2023

Streets Dept Excursions are guided tours of Philly's art and public space! Each month we lead curated walks around the "mural capital of the world." While the focus and location of each month's Excursion is always different, overall we explore three main themes: 1) public/street art, 2) public space...

That’s a wrap! Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Summer Skillbuilding Series and made this year's program even bi...
07/26/2023

That’s a wrap! Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Summer Skillbuilding Series and made this year's program even bigger. We’re grateful to share this space and grow alongside you.

Here are some moments from our batik scarf and no-waste tunic sewing workshops.

Next up: our Kimono-making series!

Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

BEST OF PHILLY | Please join us in congratulating FWM Artist-in-Residence John Jarboe for being named by Philadelphia Ma...
07/25/2023

BEST OF PHILLY | Please join us in congratulating FWM Artist-in-Residence John Jarboe for being named by Philadelphia Magazine as our city's “Best Performer Taking Drag to the Next Level!” 💐 💐

Catch her with the Bearded Ladies Cabaret at this year’s Fringe Festival for Late Night Snacks and the theatrical co-world premiere of “Rose: You Are Who You Eat” presented by Fringe Arts with Woolly Mammoth + Cultural DC.

See more Best of Philly>> https://bit.ly/3rBcBjC

Photo credit: Christopher Ash

We are so captivated by the ✨stunning✨ details and intention behind Maki Aizawa’s garments and cannot wait for her visit...
07/23/2023

We are so captivated by the ✨stunning✨ details and intention behind Maki Aizawa’s garments and cannot wait for her visit with us in August!

You too can learn from Maki on the art of traditional kimono-making and her journey of preserving the practice to create contemporary designs for everyday life with her brand, Kamiko.

Join us Friday, Aug 11 for a lecture + trunk show with an opportunity to meet the artist and purchase her hand-sewn garments! Sign up >> https://bit.ly/3VnI5Vd



Images: courtesy of Maki Aizawa

  | In Tables and Windows, artists Christine Sun Kim and Thomas Mader intertwine their bodies much like a game of collab...
07/22/2023

| In Tables and Windows, artists Christine Sun Kim and Thomas Mader intertwine their bodies much like a game of collaborative improv, working together to negotiate their different skill sets as a native American Sign Language (ASL) speaker and an ASL learner. ⁠

Drawing on sign language teacher Andreas Costrau’s observations that non-deaf students often struggle to describe rooms and objects within them in detail, the artists address societal expectations and assumed universality of language, its inherent limits, as well as the unique qualities of each individual’s communication style. ⁠

See the artists describe highly specific tables and windows in “Sonic Presence (or Absence).” Free tickets>> https://bit.ly/sonicpresence

Images: Christine Sun Kim and Thomas Mader. “Tables and Windows,” 2016. Two channel HD video. Tables: 9 min 14 sec; Windows: 10 min 16 sec. Edition 2 of 3, 2AP. Courtesy of the artists and François Ghebaly Gallery.

Today is  . This piece entitled “Chess-Jacket (Checkett)” is what happens when a Duchamp-obsessed artist creates their o...
07/20/2023

Today is . This piece entitled “Chess-Jacket (Checkett)” is what happens when a Duchamp-obsessed artist creates their own playful edition.

With a sixty-four squared chess board printed on the back and 32 plexiglass chess pieces tucked inside the front pockets, the wearer of this Gore-tex jacket will be ready to challenge an opponent anytime, anywhere.

The artist, Ecke Bonk, began designing this edition while conducting research for his 1989 publication on Marcel Duchamp’s portable museum multiple, “Box in a Valise.” Bonk went so far as to base the knight for his set on Duchamp’s own model created in Buenos Aires in 1918/19.

On view and for sale as part of our installation, “Shopworks” >> https://bit.ly/Shopworks



Image: Ecke Bonk, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum. “Chess-Jacket (Checkett),” 1987–1991. Silkscreen on Gore-tex fabric and plexiglass chess pieces. Edition of 32. Sponsored and supervised by W.L. Gore & Associates, Munich, Germany. Photo 1: Christoph Scarff, Vienna; Photo 2: Carlos Avendaño.

Today is  , which encourages us to take time to listen to the sounds of nature. Philadelphia artist and musician Terry A...
07/18/2023

Today is , which encourages us to take time to listen to the sounds of nature.

Philadelphia artist and musician Terry Adkins’ Aviarium series translates wave vectors of bird vocalization into a monumental scale using found cymbals and aluminum rods. On view in “Sonic Presence (or Absence),” these works capture songs in purely sculptural form. The capping of their ends with mutes highlights the silence of these objects erupting from the wall but also implies a potential silencing of nature.

Did you know? The study of the relationship between humans and our environment through sound is called acoustic ecology. The artists, birders, and ecologists who record these kinds of sounds (a practice called field reporting) know that there is so much we can learn about our world by simply listening.

https://bit.ly/sonicpresence



Image: Terry Adkins, Aviarium (Broad Winged Hawk), 2014; Aviarium (Mourning Dove), 2014. © 2023 The Estate of Terry Adkins / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

Today is   and we can’t help but see these works from our collection when we see these emojis. 👀What emojis would you us...
07/17/2023

Today is and we can’t help but see these works from our collection when we see these emojis. 👀

What emojis would you use to describe your favorite artwork? Share below!

NOW OPEN at the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College | Paula Wilson: Toward the Sky’s Back Door, fea...
07/15/2023

NOW OPEN at the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College | Paula Wilson: Toward the Sky’s Back Door, featuring mixed media paintings, prints, collages, and videos by the former FWM Artist-in-Residence, including work she produced in collaboration with our Studio!

Paula Wilson: Toward the Sky’s Back Door breaks down perceived boundaries to connect global and local narratives through subjects as wide-ranging as the moth that pollinates Yucca plants, ancient G...

Happy Birthday to performance and video art pioneer Joan Jonas! During her 2010 residency, the artist drew on Dante’s ep...
07/13/2023

Happy Birthday to performance and video art pioneer Joan Jonas!

During her 2010 residency, the artist drew on Dante’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy, to produce a multi-sensory performance and installation that used a free-association method to create a personal, eccentric visual language of our time.

Jonas returned to FWM a few years later to make an edition of paper lamps using steel, Japanese paper, and LED lighting—now on view and available for purchase as part of our current installation, Shopworks.

Learn more about the artist via >> https://art21.org/artist/joan-jonas/
Explore Shopworks>> https://bit.ly/Shopworks

Image: FWM Archives.

Curious about tufting?  See what we’ve been cooking up with current Artist-in-Residence Jessica Campbell for her fall ex...
07/12/2023

Curious about tufting?

See what we’ve been cooking up with current Artist-in-Residence Jessica Campbell for her fall exhibition “Heterodoxy” and try your hand at tufting!

This insider’s event is free and exclusively for FWM members plus two guests 💖

Not an FWM member? Join us today! Memberships start at just $50 (or $35 if you’re an artist, educator, or student).

Who Makes the Art Here Anyway?
Saturday, July 29, 3–4:30 pm
Sign up>> https://bit.ly/3PP0zxf
or
Become a member>> https://bit.ly/38snFG6



Image: FWM Project Technician Allen West tufting for Jessica Campbell's upcoming exhibition, Heterodoxy. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

Together we'll be the threadiest thread that ever threaded. Join us on Threads  to help us build a new community of arti...
07/11/2023

Together we'll be the threadiest thread that ever threaded. Join us on Threads to help us build a new community of artists and makers: https://www.threads.net/

Today, we'll be posting live from our sold out Batik Printing Workshop as part of our Summer Skill Building Series. Next week, who knows? We're always up to something!

Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.

07/10/2023

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1214 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
19107

Opening Hours

Wednesday 12pm - 6pm
Thursday 12pm - 6pm
Friday 12pm - 6pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

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(215) 561-8888

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Our Story

Since its inception in 1977, The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) has developed from an ambitious experiment to a unique contemporary art museum, including a significant permanent collection documenting over 40 years of artistic innovation, a critically acclaimed on-site and touring exhibition program, and an extensive educational outreach program of tours, apprenticeships, lectures, and internships.

At the outset, Marion “Kippy” Boulton Stroud (1939-2015) envisioned founding an organization that combined the activities of the Finnish fabric printing company Marimekko—which promotes design excellence in everyday objects—with contemporary printmaking ateliers such as Gemini G.E.L. and Universal Limited Art Editions (U.L.A.E.) which encourage artists to experiment with techniques unfamiliar to them, such as lithography or etching. With these models, Stroud established an inner-city art education program that provided a creative outlet for artists of all ages, while also training them for careers in the textile industry.

Through Stroud’s leadership, FWM developed into an internationally-renowned contemporary art museum, distinguished by one of the country’s most innovative residency programs and complimented by well-regarded education and apprenticeship programs. In 1996, the word "Museum" was officially added to the name of the institution to reflect its growing collection of contemporary art, its commitment to the presentation and preservation of these holdings, and its broadening educational component.

Working alongside FWM's highly trained staff as part of the celebrated Artist-in-Residence (AIR) Program, leading contemporary artists have realized a wide spectrum of ambitious projects and installations. Over the years, experiments with fabric have expanded to embrace new materials and methods; artworks resulting from this collaborative creative process have pushed the definitions and possibilities of contemporary art practice with the integration of innovative techniques, applications, and presentations. FWM’s permanent collection currently holds more than 5,000 objects created by past Artists-in-Residence.


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We made you a card. Actually, we made you a lot of cards and we couldn't choose just one. So on behalf of all of us at FWM, please enjoy this parade of cards as our way of wishing you a joyful holiday season and a very happy new year!

Music: Joyful Snowman
Musician: Grand Project
Video by Kristina Price
Monoprints by Lindsay Deifik
Holiday cards by FWM Staff
Hello! With the holiday season upon us, please note our special hours over the next couple of weeks.

Saturday, December 24 | 10:00 am–3:00 pm
Sunday, December 25 | Museum Closed
Saturday, December 31 | 12:00–3:00 pm*
Sunday, January 1 | Museum Closed

*This is the last day to experience "Jayson Musson: His History of Art"—only a three hour window!

We'll keep to our regular hours Wednesday–Friday, noon to 6:00 pm and will remain closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

See you all real soon! Plan your visit: https://bit.ly/FreeTicketsFWM

Image: yardage by Andrea Barnes.
| Current FWM Artist-in-Residence Rose B. Simpson (born 1983) is a mixed-media sculptor based in Santa Clara Pueblo, NM. Inspired by Pueblo architecture, her ancestral landscape, and magical realism, Simpson’s multi-room installation “Dream House” explores the imprints and through-lines that connect and orient her life as an artist, an Indigenous person, and a mother.

When Simpson saw her vision of Dream House come to fruition, she drew three interpretive cards of her own hand-drawn imagery to mark the moment. She saw herself in the first card: a strong vertical line. In the second card were two small seed shapes, perhaps herself made vulnerable by allowing another creative body into her process—a metaphor for her residency? And then the two became three in the third card, but square-edged. Could it be the three closed rooms of Dream House or was the third figure the visitor that would activate its architecture? Simpson was so thrilled with these meanings that she painted the figures on the wall of the third room (image 2).

Today, we’re thrilled to announce the release of two sets of these guidance cards: an open edition and a collector’s edition of 50.

The open edition is digitally printed in white ink on black paper and packed with an elegant paper band. Get yours >> https://bit.ly/FWMxSimpson_GuidanceCards

The collector’s deck is printed with letterpress in black ink on thick cream paper and comes with a unique bag made from remnants of the exhibition. Each is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity hand-signed by the artist. Collect yours >> https://bit.ly/FWMxSimpson_CollectorsDeck

Rose B. Simpson, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum on the occasion of the artist’s solo exhibition, Dream House. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.
Heads up! The deadline for the Tier 1 application for the 2023 Summer College/Postgrad Apprentice Training Program (ATP) session will be here before you know it. What are the different application tiers, you ask? The earlier you apply, the more you save!

Here’s a breakdown of the 2023 Summer session:

$15.00—Tier 1 applications open through January 1, 11:59 pm EST
$25.00—Tier 2 applications: January 2–8, 11:59 pm EST
$35.00—Tier 3 applications: January 9–15, 11:59 pm EST

Be an early bird applicant and save $20. Learn more + apply >> https://bit.ly/3uiuNNV

Image: Spring 2022 College/Postgrad Apprentice Natalie Woodlock () printing her three-color repeat design with Museum Tour Manager, Katie Parry and Museum Education Coordinator, Ash Limés-Castellana.
Happy birthday to FWM Artist-in-Residence Jayson Musson. To celebrate the collaboration that keeps on giving, we’re announcing that your favorite pothead rabbit sidekick is now immortalized as a 30-inch-tall collectible. ⁠

Collectors will find Ollie housed in a box rife with references to the props and sets of “His History of Art” as well as Musson’s creative forebears from Hans Holbein to Mister Rogers. The front of Ollie’s box bears his signature and the plaid of his iconic couch. On the back are statements from the artist (signed by his character “Jay”) and from FWM about the process and intention of making this plushie and the video series that inspired it. ⁠

Closed edition. Ollie’s box is hand-signed by the artist. ⁠

Certified emotionally fulfilling! A birthday miracle! Get yours >> https://bit.ly/FWMxMussonOllie

Sneak preview! Here’s a sampling of some of the banners designed by our Fall 2022 Apprentices. And guess what...now you’ll have the rare chance to take home these artworks!

Join us this Friday to congratulate our Apprentices and support this important training program. During this very special event, we’re gifting original apprentice-designed artworks (including the ones seen here) as a thank you for various levels of support.

RSVP + donate: http://bit.ly/3hdKvpU

Images: 1. Yardage by Jazmyn Crosby (); 2. Yardage by Josh Kery (); 3. Yardage by Lisa Jungmin Lee (); 4. Yardage by Oonagh McKenna
—Two-day Intensive Workshop Opportunity—

This new year, give your business or artistic practice the creative spark it needs by learning to design and print your own custom fabric with us.

With an emphasis on expressive mark-making, learn the fundamentals of two-way pattern design, the screen exposure process, ink application techniques such as monoprinting and split fountain, and how to screenprint your own designs on fabric.

Create a 30 x 50” one-color design and print up to four yards of cotton sateen fabric. All materials will be provided.

January 7–8, 2023
$550 Public| $450 FWM Members
Limited Space Available | Register: http://bit.ly/3PovI8i



Music: Funk Alliance
Musician: EnjoyMusic
Video by Kristina Price
When you hear Jayson Musson's "His History of Art" closes in 3 weeks, just remember the words of Ollie the rabbit: "it's free so stop your cryyyin'."⁠

Plan your visit now: https://bit.ly/FreeTicketsFWM

Image: Jayson Musson, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, "His History of Art," 2022. Video still courtesy of the artist.
Our Fall Apprentices have been hard at work this season! Next Friday, December 16, you're invited to check out their final large-scale repeat patterns and support FWM’s Apprentice Training Program for tomorrow’s artists.

At this closing event and fundraiser, you’ll have the chance to take home original artwork—unique fabric prints and limited-edition hand-printed totes designed by our current College/Postgrad and High School Apprentices—as a thank you for various levels of support.

All proceeds go directly to supporting the continuation of the Apprentice Training Program.

RSVP here: http://bit.ly/3hdKvpU

Images: Lisa Jungmin Lee prints her three-color repeat design with FWM Museum Tour Manager Katie Parry and FWM Education Coordinator Ash Limés Castellana; Jazmyn Crosby drawing on mylar for her repeat pattern at a light table; Josh Kery washes out his screen after exposing his design; Jill Adler paints her repeat pattern on mylar at a light table; Jazmyn Crosby exposes her design onto a screen with Ash Limés Castellana. Photo credit: Carlos Avendaño.
🚨 Art intervention 🚨

Join us at FABSCRAP this Thursday, December 8 to reimagine stained clothing using screenprinting and monoprinting techniques. Draw inspiration from your own memories to revitalize and transform your garments with a unique pattern or design. BYO articles of clothing or purchase recycled fabric from the FABSCRAP store.

Register: https://bit.ly/3UvKOKk

Music: Kumasi
Musician: Jeff Kaale
Video by Kristina Price
Here’s a gift idea from the Inquirer: a full year of FWM! With gift memberships, the recipient also gets a copy of our landmark publication, “New Material as New Media” and both the gift-giver (you) and recipient get a 20% off coupon to our Shop!

Bonus: The donation amount of new and upgraded memberships are being generously matched by The Kippy Stroud Foundation Challenge Grant, so the impact of a membership contribution is doubled.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/gift-guide-museum-art-institutes-memberships-20221202.html
FWM is off to the Midwest!

Catch “Elisabeth Kley: Minutes of Sand” at the Bemis Center in Omaha, opening this Thursday, December 8. Kley’s work sits at the distinctive confluence of pattern, decoration, and contemporary art. With inspiration from motifs featured in ornamentation, architecture, interior decoration, and a myriad of global art traditions, "Minutes of Sand" features paintings, ceramics, and three yardage designs produced during the artist's residency at The Fabric Workshop and Museum.

The exhibition is organized by FWM and was first presented in Philadelphia as Kley’s first solo museum show in 2021.



Images: Elisabeth Kley: Minutes of Sand (exhibition view). Photo credit: Colin Conces.
SHOP + SIP SATURDAYS | During the first three Saturdays in December, we're offering a glass of wine and a chance to discover that perfect gift for that special someone at a 20% discount store-wide. Won't you join us?

Save in-store Saturdays from 12–5 pm or online: https://bit.ly/3iwHyAU


*promotional sale excludes pre-sales, jewelry, and select consignment items.

Music: Christmas Chill lofi Launge
Musician: Lesfm on Pixabay
Video by Kristina Price
FWM and new experiences go hand-in-hand. From the innovative work artists create with our Studio to a kid's first time at screenprinting, we offer unconventional approaches and new perspectives. As we celebrate and ask for your support to foster more of these experiences, here's an exciting new reason to give this year: new and upgraded gifts to FWM will be generously matched by The Kippy Stroud Foundation Challenge Grant!

And for the gift that gives back, join us as a member for free events, member exclusives, and discounts year-round. New members that join at the $50 Friend-level and above will receive a FREE copy of our landmark publication, "New Material as New Media" which captures the first 25 years of artist collaborations at FWM (a $50 value in and of itself!).

Every donation supports experimentation and collaboration! ⁠Make a member-level gift today>> http://bit.ly/3UgNRpt

Images: Yardage for "Space Walk," 2022. Silkscreen on cotton sateen and cotton brocade. Yinka Shonibare MBE, in collaboration with FWM; "New Material as New Media" publications with "Ser**e" yardage by Mary Heilmann, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum. Photo credit:
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