"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.
