‘RHYTHMIC COILS’ AT ALLENTOWN SEPT. 16

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ALLENTOWN, PENN. — The Allentown Art Museum will present an exhibition, “Rhythmic Coils: Sweetgrass Baskets by Debora Muhl,” on view September 16–November 18 in the Payne Hurd Gallery.

The form and function of traditional basketry is challenged and transcended in the complex and coiled constructions of Muhl, a self-taught artist from Spinnerstown, Penn. She uses time-honored Native American materials and techniques in her finely crafted creations, but, she says, “the heart of my work is defiance of the notion that a basket is a vessel defined by its boundaries.”

Respect for traditional materials and functional basketry techniques is evident in Muhl’s work, but the asymmetrical construction and free-form alignment of the grass coils that form the basis of her artistry emphasize each object’s sculptural beauty.

Unlike traditional basketry, Muhl’s forms are created primarily through improvisation, without a preset plan, in order to allow her to explore new possibilities and to create unique works of art.  The organizing curator is Jacqueline M. Atkins, the museum’s Kate Fowler Merle-Smith curator of textiles.

The Allentown Art Museum is at 31 North Fifth Street. For general information, www.allentownartmuseum.org or 610-432-4333, extension 10.