Art Capsules

Hanging by a Thread: Crafts have always battled for acceptance in the contemporary art world. During the Nineteenth Century, weaving was considered a noble tradition, in spite of it's role in the exploitation of women. Curated by José Diaz and Nina Arias, this exhibition provides viewers with a great opportunity to become acquainted with the fiber media phenomenon: weaving, stitching, upholstering, quilting, draping, and collaging. Local and international artists impart a fresh and unique flavor. Marvel at Tracey Emin's loud quilts, Orly Cogan's labor-intensive vintage cloths, Jon Pylypchuk's funny and twisted fabric collages on paper, Kent Henricksen's perverse embroideries on printed fabric, Misaki Kawai's exaggerated space station, and Frances Trombly's lifelike piñata. — Alfredo Triff Through October 22. The Moore Space, 4040 NE Second Ave., second floor, Miami; 305-438-1163.

Impenetrable: Eugenio Espinoza's installation mixes the disciplines of painting, sculpture, and conceptual art. Transforming the conceptual standard and painting's historic monumentality with lots of canvas, wood, and the systematic application of black paint and wit, Espinoza revisits his own art history and heady era of international Geometric Abstraction. The Venezuela native has constructed a horizontal, waist-high, paintinglike grid structure that completely dominates two conjoined spaces in Locust Projects. — Kathleen Hudspeth Through October 29. Locust Projects, 105 NW 23rd St., Miami; 305-576-8570.

Una Tal Juana: Ninth-century Englishman John Anglicus was a brilliant scholar who lectured at the Trivum in Rome before becoming a cardinal and eventually pope in 853 A.D. Two years later, riding from St. Peter to the Lateran, he stopped to give birth to a child. Pope John VIII was really Pope Joan. According to legend, after learning the truth, the people of Rome dragged her behind a horse and then stoned mother and baby to death. Colombian artist Flora Cohen transforms this outrageous story into a beautiful narrative-exhibit with a mixture of humor, perversion, and gloom. Enjoy Cohen's delicately drawn quizzical black-and-white panels, and learn more about a certain aversion, popular among Joan's court following, to beards. — Alfredo Triff Through October 15. Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, 3550 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-573-2700.

For a complete listing of current art shows, click on Culture in the navigation bar to the left, scroll down to the “Listings Search” Category pulldown, and select Art Galleries.