The Gadsden Museum of Art is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Miriam Norris Omura: Fabric of Society. This work begins an exploration of identity and social relationships through perspectives, perceptions, and communications between people. It is an attempt to understand and ask questions about what and who makes up the society around us, to see where bridges have broken down, and where they can begin to be built.

The artist will be present in the gallery Saturdays from 2-5pm during the exhibit, working on a community-based project named for the show. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the project by bringing a 10” x 10” piece of fabric and up to five words to describe themselves. For further details, please visit http://miriamomura.com/fabricofsociety

Miriam Norris Omura holds a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in Fiber and Material Studies and a MA in Art History/History from Cleveland State University. She received a 2017 Visual Arts Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. She recently studied kasuri weaving at the Kawashima Textile School in Kyoto, Japan. Her artwork is informed by her interests in weaving, cloth, and the tactile quality of layers. In the past, Omura has dealt with personal identity through memory and family history, and she recently began exploring broader overlap concerns that intersect with identity and social issues.

The Gadsden Museum was established by the Gadsden Art Association (GAA) and with over the years, strong partnerships have been forged between the museum and other cultural organizations and educational institutions. The museum has established itself as an important part of the cultural mosaic of Gadsden. In addition, the GMA collects, codifies, and disseminates historical information about the facts and myths of the area’s past, and serves as a resource center for interested visitors and local citizens, as well as students and scholars.