Powerful Contemporary Textile Art Unveiled in Paolo Arao’s ‘Reverberations’

Paolo Arao, Installation view Reverberations, 2023. One of the vibrant contemporary textile art on view at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. Photo: Colin Conces.

Paolo Arao: Reverberations at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts reveals powerful contemporary textile art immersed in the fusion of tradition and modernity.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE, ARTCENTRON

Vibrant Contemporary Textile Art Unveiled

OMAHA, NEBRASKA—The vibrant world of contemporary textile art is at the center of a new exhibition at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. Paolo Arao: Reverberations brings together some of Arao’s recent creations, which were created while he was in residency at the center.

During his artist-in-residence at the Bemis Center in 2020, Arao immersed himself in the unique industrial architecture that defines the center’s studios and installation spaces, crafting textile masterpieces that now echo in the exhibition.

Reverberations marks Paolo Arao’s return to the Bemis Center, featuring textile marvels that encapsulate the essence of his residency. At the heart of the exhibit is Collective Comfort, a monumental quilt top that has evolved since Arao’s residency. This quilt, an impressive eleven feet tall by 42 feet wide, narrates a story of sewn paintings and fabric remnants. It dominates an entire gallery wall, providing art enthusiasts with a visual feast.

Complementing Collective Comfort are four new site-specific installations, seamlessly stretching across Bemis Center’s Douglas fir columns. Influenced by Arao’s Filipino heritage, these installations merge indigenous textile patterns with hard-edge painting, Op-Art, and the Pattern and Decoration movement.

Textiles as Narratives: Beyond Aesthetics

Arao’s use of textiles extends beyond mere aesthetics. As he explains, “Working with textiles feels like the appropriate material to help soften the rigid geometry and ‘straight’ system of the grid that I’ve been working with for over twenty years.” According to Arao, textiles can hold deeply personal narrative histories, evident in certain fabrics that bear physical traces of the bodies that wore them.

The strategic use of color plays a crucial role in communicating Arao’s thoughts through his work. He emphasizes that his relationship with color is not passive. For him, color can be political, personal, emotional, and an integral part of his being. This is evident in how he weaves together a lineage of abstraction that explores the elastic concept of queerness while honoring his Filipino heritage.

Arao’s work envelops the galleries in vibrant colors, connecting cross-cultural and queer perspectives. It places patterns and color in textiles from the Philippines in direct conversation with hard-edge painting, Op-Art, and the Pattern and Decoration movement. The adornment of the columns incorporates patterns inspired by indigenous textiles from the Philippines, symbolizing protection and adding two-toned chromatic vibrations that reverberate throughout the galleries.

Transformative Power of Textiles

Reverberations was curated by Rachel Adams, Chief Curator and Director of Programs at Bemis Center. The exhibition invites viewers to experience the transformative power of textiles. Reverberations bridges personal, political, and emotional realms, offering a unique perspective on the intricate interplay between art and culture.

Reverberations not only showcases Paolo Arao’s mastery of contemporary textile art but also serves as a bridge between cultures, weaving a rich tapestry of personal narratives and vibrant colors. This exhibition is not merely an artistic display but a transformative journey through the expressive language of textiles.