The Search For Power / Tania El Khoury / Ziad Abu Rish

Thursday, January 9 -Sunday, January 19

The Invisible Dog Art Center and the Fisher Center at Bard are thrilled to present The Search For Power by Tania El Khoury with her historian husband Ziad Abu Rish, as part as Under The Radar Festival 2024.

On a night with a sudden electricity outage in their Beirut neighborhood, the artist and her historian husband discussed the history of power cuts in Lebanon. Born during the Lebanese Civil War, the artist had grown up with the understanding that the problem with electricity in Lebanon began during the war. The historian, however, recalled finding a government document dated 1952 that announced scheduled electricity outages across Beirut. The two decided to research the history of power outages in Lebanon, delving into the intersection between public utilities infrastructure, people’s relationship to the state, and various popular mobilizations to shape both. In time, they reach as far back as the introduction of electricity in Beirut before it was even possible to imagine a Lebanese state. In space, they collect documents across Lebanon and beyond its borders, visiting the archives of colonial powers: Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. What they find is a transnational story that locates electricity at the intersection of colonial legacies, the machinations of political and economic elites, and everyday acts of resistance, survival, and sabotage. The Search for Power is a lecture and installation performance featuring the artist, the historian, and the audience.

Learn To Make Collage And Then Immediately Give It Away: A Workshop by Mac Premo

Friday January 10, Friday January 17, Wednesday January 22, Friday January 24, and Wednesday January 29

The Invisible Dog is thrilled to present a series of workshops hosted by artist Mac Premo as part as a residency at Atelier Jolie

Of all the art practices, collage is perhaps the most democratic: there is no institution famous for its instruction; there are no ordained rules from an art elite. Its just rip shit up, glue shit down, seek beauty. But even with its lack of formality rule, there are craft considerations that can transform the experience. Most notably, paper collage (papier collé if you want to be fancy) tends to wrinkle and air bubble when glue meets paper.

In this workshop, Premo shares some basic techniques on how to get a collage to adhere clean and flat. Real handsome like. But here’s the catch: then you have to give your art away. We can call it a simple act of sharing, or intentional defiance of art-market driven commodification. But in plain terms, it means that you’ll be making collage postcards.

Collective Threads

Thursday, January 23-Sunday, February 2

The Invisible Dog Art Center is thrilled to present Collective Threads opening Thursday, January 23 to Sunday, February 2nd, an exhibition accompanied by two weeks of textile and fiber-filled workshops, demonstrations, and performances.

Ana Watterson, fiber artist, Gallery Manager of the Invisible Dog and organizer of Yarn & Yack, a monthly knitting and fiber workshop, put out a call for artists working in and around textiles.

Inspired by the warmth, community, and creativity cultivated in these monthly meetings, the goal of this show is to explore a shared knowledge of fiber arts, as well as spotlight individual artistic practices. Each maker has their own unique story. Whether learned from or inspired by a mother, grandmother, friend or the internet the work connects and exchanges individual stories and traditions. The pathways of these threads and fibers tell the history of how knowledge is passed, how bonds are formed and pieces composed.

Drawing with Thread: Woven Wall Art Workshop / Jessie Mordine Young

Saturday, January 25
1:00  - 4:30pm

As apart of the Collective Threads exhibition and programming, The Invisible Dog is thrilled to welcome Jessie Mordine Young as she leads a weaving workshop.

Let's weave! In this workshop, students will learn the basics of frame loom weaving from warping the loom, to drafting a design, and basic tapestry techniques. Jessie will demonstrate how to work with a variety of experimental materials to create one-of-a-kind weavings. She will also assist students in developing a piece through every step of the textile-making process. A brief presentation of history and inspiration will be given. Students will leave this class with a small wall-hanging or “woven drawing”. This is a beginner workshop, but all skill levels are welcome.

Lacemaking Demonstration / Layla Klinger

Sunday, January 26
2:00 - 3:30 pm

As apart of the Collective Threads exhibition and programming, The Invisible Dog is thrilled to welcome Layla Klinger for a large scale lacemaking demonstration and afternoon.

Join artist Layla Klinger for a demonstration of large-scale lacemaking and explore the possibilities of bobbin lace structure. Through her artistic practice, Layla has developed a unique system of applying unconventional materials to bobbin lacemaking. In this demonstration, they will interlace wires to work variations on traditional patterns from Uta Ulrich’s book “Gründe Mit System”. Visitors are welcome to ask questions, try their hand at the craft, or simply observe.

(Text)ure: Embroidery Workshop / Kate Phillips

Friday, January 31
4:00  - 6:30 pm

As apart of the Collective Threads exhibition and programming, The Invisible Dog is thrilled to welcome Kate Phillips as she leads an embroidery workshop.

Embroidery is an ancient craft, yet the act of using thread to adorn and transform a surface remains timeless. Throughout history, people have employed thread to convey images and words—whether in the form of monograms, labels, diary or signage. Embroidery can serve as a means of identity, storytelling, or even as an act of resistance. In this workshop, we will explore how this craft and its typographic potential can bring us together to experiment with texture and text.

All skill levels are welcome!