The work of Lisa Kokin has always been marked by an intelligent wit and sense of irony. Her choice of a title for this exhibition, “Raveling” is no exception. The inspiration for this body of work is the artist’s mother, who passed away just short of her 100th birthday. Her life - a long thread that was intricately wound with that of her daughter, had finally “unraveled.” One might suppose that “raveling” would be the opposite of “unraveling.” In truth, raveling is not a verb, but a noun. It is a thread or fiber that has become separated from a woven material. Hence themes of connection and separation create a powerful critical tension, a thread, if you will, that runs through all the work.

Kokin has developed her medium, pushing her materials beyond their customary use. The work is not soft, like lace, though is has that association. Using a stabilizer, she is able to “draw” with thread creating satisfying filigreed works with text and image that freely interact with shadow and light. Kokin has distinguished herself over the years for her pithy social commentary and labor intensive attention to detail. In 2012, her work, Fauxliage, Obligation to Endure won the Dorothy Saxe award for creativity in the Contemporary Jewish Museum exhibition, “Do Not Destroy.” Her work is exhibited in galleries in Sun Valley, Idaho and Jackson Hole, Wyoming and is included in many curated publications and reviews.