VPA Hosts Visiting Artists from New Zealand Oct. 20 and 23

The College of Visual and Performing Arts will host a trio of visiting artists from Massey University in New Zealand on Monday, Oct. 20, and Thursday, Oct. 23. The talks are sponsored by VPA’s Department of Art and Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, and are free and open to the public.

Kingsley Baird

On Monday, Kingsley Baird will speak on “Can I Eat in the Museum? ‘Stela’ at Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr” from 6-7 p.m. in Room 500 of the Hall of Languages. A reception will be held from 7-7:45 p.m., and Sally Morgan will speak on “Burden of Memory” from 8-9 p.m.

On Thursday, Ross Hemera will speak on “Tikanga: Cultural and Creative Practice” from 6:30-8 p.m. in 123 Sims Hall.

Baird is an associate professor in Massey University’s School of Art in the College of Creative Arts. He is a visual artist whose work represents a longstanding engagement with memory and remembrance and loss and reconciliation through making artifacts and writing. Major examples of his work include the New Zealand Memorial in Canberra, Australia; the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Wellington, New Zealand; and the Nagasaki Peace Park sculpture. One of his latest works is “Stela” at the Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr in Germany.

Sally Morgan

Morgan, professor and director of doctoral research in Massey University’s College of Creative Arts, is a conceptual artist and cultural historian whose research spans creative works and text-based inquiry. Her writing on visual artifacts as historical texts informs her performance, installation and publicly located contextual artworks. She has presented her works around the globe.

Ross Hemera

Hemera is an associate professor in Massey University’s School of Visual and Material Culture. Known primarily for his mixed-media sculptures, his creative works draw inspiration from the landscape of the Te Waipounamu (the South Island) and, in particular, the ancient rock drawings found in limestone caves and outcrops. He has also presented his works around the world.

For more information, contact the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at 315-443-2308.