Exhibition by VPA master of fine arts degree candidates opens April 9 at SUArt Galleries

Exhibition by VPA master of fine arts degree candidates opens April 9 at SUArt GalleriesMarch 30, 2009David L. Princedlprince@syr.edu

“MFA 2009,” an exhibition of works by master of fine arts degree candidates from the College of Visual and Performing Arts opens April 9 and continues through May 10 at the SUArt Galleries in the Shaffer Art Building. A gallery reception will be held on Thursday, April 16, a Th3 night, from 5-7 p.m., with a performance by MFA candidate Jenny Carolin at 5:30 p.m.

Twenty-two artists will exhibit a range of work from such traditional media as oil on canvas, portraiture and atmospheric-fired pottery to such contemporary media as digital prints, site-specific installation and video projection. The diversity of the show is also distinctly international, with artists from Canada, France, Korea and Russia.

While the artists work in a variety of media and techniques, themes emerge across the disciplines. The concept of the fabricated or manipulated environment is evident in many of the artists’ sculptural installations, including a monumental model stagecoach positioned in a moon-landing re-creation and a faux-storefront display with ceramic poodles that both mock and celebrate what we regard as haute couture.

Nostalgia and personal identity are also sources of inspiration in this year’s exhibition. One artist’s work reinterprets the well-known characters from “Sesame Street” into an iconic status, while another incorporates the artist’s past memories and dark humor into photographs that explore childhood experiences of fear, mortality and sex.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts is committed to the education of cultural leaders who will engage and inspire audiences through performance, visual art, design, scholarship and commentary. It provides the tools for self-discovery and risk-taking in an environment that thrives on critical thought and action. Learn more at http://vpa.syr.edu.

SUArt Galleries is the largest exhibition venue at SU for the visual arts. Located in the Shaffer Art Building, the gallery was established in 2007. The renovated facility hosts a variety of temporary and permanent exhibitions throughout the year in its nearly 10,000 square feet of exhibition space. The department’s mission is to enhance the cultural environment of the University and the Syracuse area through meaningful educational experiences and encounters with the University’s permanent collection and temporary exhibitions.

Gallery hours are: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Thursday evenings until 8 p.m. Parking for weekend and evening visitors is available in the Q4 lot on College Place. Visitors should notify the attendant that they are visiting the SUArt Galleries. Parking is on a space-available basis and will be restricted during events held at the Carrier Dome. If spaces are not available, the attendant will direct visitors to the nearest lot. The Connective Corridor Shuttle stop is “College Place”; the shuttle (Centro #543) is free.