Wesleyan Kalliopi Monoyios
Back to events350 South Main Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06457
Hope in the Plasticene
Though much of the art that addresses plastic emphasizes guilt and shame, my work embraces the complexity of our relationship with the material. I collect, wash, and sew disposable food wrappers into heirloom quilts. I fold plastic into thousands of interlocking modular origami pieces while meditating on my wish for a solution to the plastic pollution problem. I salvage cords discarded well before their functional life is over and ensure their longevity by wrapping them in Teflon — a material that is virtually indestructible in the environment. This exhibit brings together several smaller works in each of these disciplines as well as one large quilt inspired by my aunt & key member, Cap Sease.
About the Artist
Kalliopi (Kapi) Monoyios is an artist working to mature the conversation around plastic and American consumerism. She uses art to bring people back to a state of childlike inquiry, where we can see our collective behavior and societal decisions with new eyes. She takes workhorse plastic items that are largely overlooked and undervalued — like plastic packaging and insulated computer cords — and pairs them with similarly undervalued and traditionally un- or under-paid skills: sewing, embroidery, weaving, quilting. By spending hours manipulating objects that have been deemed trash, she poses critical questions about what we value and why.
Kapi’s love and appreciation for craft is intricately tied to Wesleyan Potters. The granddaughter of founding member Mary L. Sease and the niece of key member Cap Sease, she remembers many visits to the pottery in her formative years. Her Sease family was always happy to hand her a lump of clay or a tangle of reeds whenever she came to visit, and the Annual Pottery Sale was a favorite holiday destination. To this day, she counts bowls, mugs, teapots, prints and drawings from the Wesleyan Potters community among her most beloved & artful possessions. It is an absolute joy to return to the pottery as a professional artist whose aesthetic was so profoundly influenced by the artists under this roof
Reception and artist talk, August 9 at 4:00 p.m.
Show will be Open:
- Mon/Tue: By appointment only
- Wed/Thu: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Fri: 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
- Sat: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Sun 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Parking is available in the lot at the rear of the building and can be accessed from Birdsey Ave. The show is free and open to the public.
Wesleyan Potters is a non-profit cooperative guild formed in 1948 to promote the learning and development of skill in crafts. Classes are held year-round along with lectures, exhibits, demonstrations, workshops, and videos. Qualified instructors present classes in well-equipped studios for adults, teens, and children. The guild also maintains a year-round Gallery Shop. For further information, contact Wesleyan Potters at 860-347-5925 or follow us on social media on Facebook and Instagram.