Pleat Construction, 2011. Machine knit sweaters, steel, wood, glass, lamps. (Steel armature, wood panels and pleats, Plexiglas mirrors, cut glass). In collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum

Pleat Construction, 2011. Machine knit sweaters, steel, wood, glass, lamps. (Steel armature, wood panels and pleats, Plexiglas mirrors, cut glass). In collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum

Jim Drain

At The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Drain produced samples that were referenced to construct two knitted sweaters to create a sculptural element. In these works the sculpture becomes the “armature” for the sweater, and the “pleat” of the sweater the sculpture. Drain, using every kind of fabric possible in his work, embellished these patterned, sculptural works with beading along its many pleated folds. In addition to these fabric armatures, there are glass and wood free-standing panels illuminated by the hanging light assemblages created for this exhibition. Drain mixes hard materials with soft, color objects with color light, textiles with pixilation, all working together to create vibrant, abstract works.

Bio

Born 1975, lives and works in Miami.

Jim Drain is from Cleveland, Ohio; BFA Rhode Island School of Design, Sculpture 1998. Drain creates elaborate, colorful, mind-manifesting, and anthropomorphic sculptures, and recently an edition of wearable art sweaters; these works are manufactured by the use of an industrial knitting machine. Of his practice, he says, “Knitting is like painting, looking at the shelf, you never know how the colors are going to work together- in pattern, in texture, after being washed or fluffed or felted.” He works in several different media such as comics, music, drawing and painting, video and performance.