CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Laramie County Community College is hosting a new art exhibition, running from Jan. 19 through Feb. 27.
That’s according to a release from LCCC, which states that a reception for the exhibit will take place on Feb. 19 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
“Intricate hand-embroidered works in red and black will transform the Esther and John Clay Fine Art Gallery into a meditative space for storytelling and self-reflection as artist Elnaz Javani’s exhibition ‘Inner Compulsion’ opens at Laramie County Community College,” the release states.
According to the release, Inner Compulsion features “meticulously stitched pieces on muslin fabric.” Javani describes these pieces as “fictional autobiographies” that chronicle her seven-year exploration of identity, memory and transformation.
“Each piece captures paused moments of personal and collective history through deliberate marks, offering a tactile meditation on the passage of time and the interplay between body, labor and self-discovery,” the release states.
As an assistant professor of fibers at Colorado State University, Javani draws upon her Iranian heritage as well as her experiences as a queer immigrant as she explores themes of belonging, migration and resilience.
“These works reveal intimate tensions and psychological states, stemming from an inner force to understand the self in relation to everyday experiences,” Javani said. “Through slow, deliberate stitching, I create a visual record of time that reflects history and transformation.”
Javani’s process of stitching and layering allows her to combine traditional textile techniques with contemporary narratives, fostering a dialogue between past and present.
“I hope to spark conversations with students and the community, introducing them to the tactile intimacy and transformative potential of textile art,” she said.
The exhibition is running from Jan. 19 through Feb. 27 in The Esther and John Clay Fine Art Gallery, in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium on LCCC’s Cheyenne campus. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
