BIO
Aubrey Pittman-Heglund (b. 1995, Chicago IL) is an American artist based in Chicago, IL and Taipei, Taiwan. They earned their BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017 with a focus in Fiber Material Studies and Art Therapy. As a working artist, their body of work explores the relationship between climate change and contemporary textile production, by utilizing research into quantum physics and the history of textiles and design. They embrace a material language of recycled objects to satisfy an obsessive need to balance their unethical contributions within late capitalism. Their work has been shown internationally and they have previously facilitated workshops through Haystack Mountain School of Craft and the Textile Art Center.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Within my woven tapestries, I restrict my material language to recycled and donated materials as a political gesture backed by moral obligation, economic need, and environmental dread. With a material foundation of recycled clothing and objects, my textile practice satisfies an obsessive need to balance my unethical contributions within late capitalism. Sourcing material from a never-ending collection of hoarded clothing, my practice draws parallels to the overwhelming rate of production in the fast fashion industry and makes references to hierarchies in class, labor, and contemporary art and craft.
As contextual and aesthetic source imagery for my intuitive weavings, I create digital collages out of found photographic evidence of environmental catastrophes.Drawing meaning from science, this obligation I feel to the objects I interact with is supported on the quantum level by the observer effect in physics, where even just observing an object, situation, or phenomenon has the ability to change it and its trajectory into the future. We are morally and meta-physically entangled to the objects we purchase and collect; we are responsible for where they end up in the world and what they impact on Earth. Through the acts of deconstruction and reconstruction, each article of clothing, and the uniquely lived history that is entangled to say article of clothing, is embedded and memorialized into the cloth.
CV
Education:
2013-2017 The School of the Art Institute of Chicago; BFA Fiber Material Studies
Shows, Exhibitions, Publications, Features:
2014. “The Table: A Community Exchange of Free Art Supplies, Clothes, Food, and Other Donated Goods". Chicago, IL.
2015. Social Fabric presents "LIVING BELOW THE LINE: Bringing Awareness to Adjunct Labor and Student Debt". Chicago, IL.
2016. Land Day, Students for Justice in Palestine at SAIC and Colombia College". Chicago, IL
2017. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Capstone event. Chicago, IL 2017. "Especially Now" Dfbrl8r. Chicago, IL
2018. Like Water Through Stone: Exploring Race and the Environment. URI-EICHEN Gallery. Chicago, IL
2018. Voyage Chicago Trailblazers: Rewriting the Narrative, September. Chicago, IL.
2018. Published in The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Weaving Catalog. Chicago, IL.
2019. Compound Yellow Yard Sale. Oak Park,IL.
2019. Threads. ArtTooth. Fort Worth, TX.
2019. Studio Herron Pop-up Retail Store. Chicago,IL.
2020. Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve: The Fabric Store Curated by Polly Apfelbaum. The Flag Art Foundation
2021. Feature in CraftJam Online Publication: “5 Creatives Making Sustainability the Name of the Game”
2021. In Good Company. Mana Contemporary. Chicago, IL
2022. Textures. Mana Contemporary. Chicago,IL.
2022. Object Permanence. Gallery at Livingroom Realty. Chicago, IL.
2022. Best Laid Plan. Perceived Value Print Gallery. Toronto, CA.
2022. Trite and True. Dream Clinic Project Space. Columbus,OH.
2022. Chicago Textile Week Open Studio. Chicago, IL.
2023. Familiarity in the Unknown. Downtown500 & Workshop4200. Chicago, IL.
2023. Rest/Less. Parlor and Ramp. Chicago, IL.
Workshops, Internships, Employment:
2014. Logo design for Farmers Insurance's training program. Arlington, TX.
2015. Film assistant for Raymond Martin. Dallas, Texas.
2015-2016. Business Management Internship for C.Marie's Sweets, Bridal Bakery. Colleyville, Texas
2015-2019. The Kids Table; Culinary teacher.Chicago, IL.
2018-2019. Plymouth Place Weaving Instructor LaGrande,IL.
2018-2019. Collaboration with Claire Lyons Design. Chicago,IL.
2018. Studio Assistant at Studio Herron. Chicago,IL.
2018. Teaching Assistant at Haystack Mountain School of Craft. Deer Isle, MI.
2019. House of Vans, Frame-loom Workshop with Dee Clements Chicago,IL.
2019. Fiber Studio Technician for Haystack Mountain School of Craft Open Studio Residency. Deer Isle, MI.
2019-2021. Production Studio Coordinator for Studio Herron, Chicago,IL
2020. Alternative & Experimental Weaving Class at Textile Art Center, co taught with Dee Clements. New York, NY
2021-2022. Head of Textiles at Studio Herron. Chicago, IL
2022. Public Panel discussion - Haystack Mountain School of Craft. Virtual.
2022. The Haystack Student Craft Institute. Deer Isle, MI
2022. “Weaving and How it can be Used as a Tool for Art Therapy”, Public lecture for the North Shore Weaving Guild. Chicago ,IL.
2023. Custom textiles and furniture collaboration for Siren Betty Design. Chicago, IL.