The AVA Gallery in Chattanooga is launching three distinct exhibitions for its March First Friday event. The main gallery features 'Jewelry & Adornment,' an annual members-only showcase of handcrafted wearable art, while the Landis Gallery hosts a juried exhibition of works by high school students from the Center for Creative Arts. Additionally, the gallery’s front window features 'Material Intimacies / Sacred Bodies,' a site-specific installation by Kris Bespalec utilizing rust- and salt-dyed fabrics to explore themes of industrial decay and ritual.
This triple-opening highlights the gallery's role as a community hub that bridges different sectors of the local art scene, from professional members and experimental installation artists to the next generation of talent from regional arts schools. By combining traditional craft like jewelry with conceptual textile installations and student work, the gallery fosters a diverse dialogue between material history and contemporary practice within the Tennessee Valley.