Center for Virtual/Material Studies to hold opening celebration on Sept. 27

The College of Arts and Architecture’s Center for Virtual/Material Studies (CVMS) will hold an opening celebration on Sept. 27 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in 241 Borland Building. Directed by Associate Professor of Art History Sarah Rich, CVMS supports research in both technical and digital art history with the aim of fostering synthetic, collaborative scholarship across these fields. The opening celebration will introduce the center’s inaugural research theme, "Fabrication: Virtual and Material Approaches to Global Textiles," and will highlight the research project “Flax: First Fiber of the Arts,” an interdisciplinary research project that combines scholarship with ancient, hands-on methods of growing and harvesting flax to be used in the arts. Bundles of flax grown by the researchers as well as Colonial-style wooden hand tools crafted by local woodworkers Doing Good With Wood will be on site for visitors to interact with. The celebration will also provide a look into additional ongoing research projects and offer information on research and internship opportunities with CVMS. Light refreshments will be provided during the event. For more information about center and the celebration, contact CVMS Manager Carolyn Lucarelli at cjl8@psu.edu