1xRUN and Inner State Gallery are proud to announce that Glass, Cinder & Thorns III will open to the public on Friday, March 20th at 7pm at Inner State Gallery, located at 1410 Gratiot in Detroit’s Eastern Market. With a groundbreaking roster comprised entirely of female artists, the fairy-tale inspired group exhibition features over 40 artists from around the world. Since opening at 323East Gallery in 2010, the exhibition has resonated with collectors, fellow artists, the media and fans alike for providing a platform for female artists to explore the age old tradition of fairy tales and create thought provoking works that question the values they intend to instill from a very young age.
For the latest incarnation of Glass, Cinder & Thorns, curator April Armand has assembled her most ambitious group of local and internationally recognized artists to date, pulling some of the best and brightest in contemporary art in a myriad of mediums. In addition to making it’s debut at Inner State Gallery, the show will once again appear on the gallery’s online counterpart 1xRUN.
“This is the largest and most diverse group of artists that we have had for Glass Cinder & Thorns. While there are many returning artists, we've also invited quite a few new artists to participate as well. The work that has been arriving at the gallery has been pretty incredible. I am so impressed by everyone's skill level and their ability to put their own unique spin on this varied theme. This will be an exhibition not to be missed,” Armand said.
In her curator's statement Armand elaborates that we all know these seemingly innocent bedtimes stories often had evil lurking within their pages and issued the challenge to each artist to reinvent their favorites. The end result is that the more adult themes are highlighted in many of the artists’ pieces, with an emphasis on strong female perspectives, as 40+ female artists from around the globe have tackled iconic female-centric fairy tales including Cinderella, Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, Alice In Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty and countless others, each putting a modern spin on these childhood classics.
“The older we get, the more we realize how wonderful being an innocent child can be, losing ourselves in fantasies of white horses, magic, and dazzling princesses. What Disney failed to mention is that The Little Mermaid dies, multiple suitors defiled Sleeping Beauty, and The Wolf ate Grandma. Horrible things happen everyday, but we all sometimes wish for a time and place where life is simpler, yearning for the warmth of our childhood beds, the calming voice of our parents, and the journey back to that enchanted world,” Armand said challenging some of today’s finest female artists.
Featuring artists from as far away as Australia and New Zealand, Glass Cinder & Thorns is as much an international showcase -- with nearly a dozen additional artists from all over Europe and the Americas -- as well as a local one, featuring six Detroit-based artists.
Artists include:
Amy Earles (Indiana), Audrey Pongracz (Detroit), Bec Winnel (Australia), Bethany Shorb (Detroit), Caitlin Hackett (San Francisco), Camille LaMontagne (Detroit), Celeste Byers (San Diego), Christina Mrozik (Grand Rapids), DeEtta Harris (Detroit), Edith LeBeau (Montreal), Erin Yoshi (San Francisco), Heidi Taillefer (Los Angeles), Hueman (Los Angeles), Indie184 (New York City), Jana Brike (Latvia), Kashink (Paris), Kelly McKernan (Nashville), Kelly Vivanco (Escondido), Kelsey Beckett (Detroit), Klor (Montreal), Kukula (New Haven), Lacey Bryant (San Jose), Lady Diva (New Zealand), Lady Orlando (Mexico City), Liza Corbett (New Jersey), Lucy (Vienna), Mab Graves (Indianapolis), Mary Williams (Detroit), Mimi Yoon (Los Angeles), Miss Van (Barcelona), Rudy Fig (Minneapolis), Sasha Walker (Detroit), Sheri Debow (Napa), Sheryo (Singapore), Sienna Freeman (San Francisco), Stephanie Buer (Portland), Tatiana Suarez (Miami), Taylor White (Raleigh), Vexta (Australia) & Yumiko Kayukawa (Seattle).
This event is free and open to the public!
Opening artist reception will begin at 7pm on March 20th at Inner State Gallery, located at 1410 Gratiot in Detroit’s Eastern Market.
