Fiber art intriguing at SoFA gallery

The SoFA gallery presents thought-provoking, intriguing and uncommon artwork. This month's exhibit is no exception. \nThe exhibit, titled "Men of Cloth," features 33 noted male fiber artists from around the United States. Uncommon? I had no idea there were enough male fiber artists to make up an entire exhibition. The focus was not on the gender of the artists, and Stephan Beal, the exhibit's original organizer at the Loveland Museum, said, "I've seen enough gender suffering exhibits." \nAlthough I know little about textiles, I found this exhibit to be poignant, funny and intriguing.\nArtist Tom Lundberg opened the exhibit Friday evening with a lecture surveying the varied inspirations of the artists. The exhibit included works by some literal men of the cloth. That is, the clergy, such as alumnus John French, whose spectacular stitched works use the metaphor of curtains to represent the transition and the barrier between deity and humans. Others, which were not featured in IU's presentation of the exhibit, represented the other extreme of religion -- pornography.\nThe most poignant representations in the exhibit were by those artists who used their talents for social commentary. Artist Carmon Slater made a three-dimensional fiber quilt, entitled "We Care," which spoke out about AIDS and HIV without using any words. The checkered edges were raised multi-colored condoms that framed two faces and hands reaching out to each other across a pair of jeans. In the jean pockets there was a syringe representing the treatment for the life-threatening disease.\nThe exhibit was not all serious, and Darrel Morris' embroidered "comics" were one of the highlights of the show. \nI challenge you to visit "Men of Cloth," which is at the SoFA gallery until Mar. 9.