|
| |
Fine Arts Center announces Katrina exhibition and panel discussion
The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (FAC) is proud to present the
exhibition Katrina: Catastrophe and Catharsis at the FAC Modern …, which opens
on March 9 and runs through April 29. The exhibition looks at the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of the region’s top artists.
On March 10, Dr. Michael De Marsche will moderate the nation’s first discussion
of the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and its artistic scene by
three internationally-respected Louisiana artists and New Orleans curator Arthur
Roger.
Here we have some pieces on the exhibition:
Katrina: Catastrophe and Catharsis Fine Arts Center Exhibition Captures the
Essence of the Tragedy
When the levees broke in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, nearly an entire
American city was swept away. New Orleans lay devastated and destroyed, just
hours after one of the most horrific natural events ever to hit this nation.
Katrina: Catastrophe and Catharsis is the first exhibition dedicated to the
works of internationally respected artists responding to the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina. Presented from Friday, March 9, through Sunday, April 29,
2007, at the FAC MODERN in downtown Colorado Springs, the exhibition showcases
the works of leading artists and photographers, including David Bates, Luis Cruz
Azaceta, John Scott, Douglas Bourgeois, Willie Birch, Jacqueline Bishop and
Debbie Fleming Caffery. After debuting in Colorado Springs, the exhibition will
travel to various venues throughout the United States, under the banner of the
FAC.
“The exhibition is nothing short of remarkable,” commented Dr. Michael De
Marsche, FAC President and CEO. “The painting, photography, and drawing that
constitute the show represent deeply personal statements that cover the gamut of
emotions. Rife with pathos, the show is at once powerfully moving, provocative,
and uplifting.”
The public is invited to the Exhibition Opening on Friday, March 9, from 5 – 8
p.m. at the FAC MODERN. Admission is free for FAC Members and $7.50 for
non_members and includes hors d’oeuvres and live music. A very special highlight
of the evening will be a musical performance – straight from the French Quarter
– by Shep’s New Orleans Heard featuring Kid Merv. This jazz ensemble is
comprised of New Orleans musicians, who were displaced by the hurricane, met in
Colorado Springs and formed the group. The Exhibition Opening will be their
debut performance.
According to the Colorado Springs Department of Emergency Management, about 460
families (1800 individuals) came to Colorado Springs from the areas affected by
Hurricane Katrina in August 2005; the department estimates that approximately
half remain in the city.
The exhibition was organized by Arthur Roger, one of New Orleans’ most prominent
and respected gallery owners for over 30 years. Roger himself was displaced by
the hurricane, but despite the catastrophes that afflicted his own personal
life, he wasted little time in asking artists throughout the nation for work
that reflected on the aftermath of Katrina.
Katrina: Panel Discussion on March 10 New Orleans curator, Louisiana artists
discuss exhibit, Katrina aftermath
Dr. Michael De Marsche will moderate the nation’s very first panel to discuss
the effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and is artistic scene on March 10
at 10 a.m. at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s Music Room at 30 West Dale
Street.
De Marsche, FAC President and CEO, organized the panel, which will be comprised
of Arthur Roger, one of New Orleans’ most prominent and respected gallery owners
for over 30 years, and three leading Louisiana artists, Willie Birch, Jacqueline
Bishop and Dawn Dedeaux, who also contributed to the exhibition, Katrina:
Catastrophe and Catharsis, on display at the FAC MODERN, March 9 – April 29.
“I’ve known Arthur Roger for 25 years,” said De Marsche. “Arthur and the artists
from New Orleans that we are bringing to Colorado Springs are incredibly
accomplished in their fields an they also know the anguish and devastation of
Katrina firsthand. Their unique perspectives will make for a lively panel … the
first true serious discussion of Katrina in the art world.”
Following the free panel discussion, Roger will give a tour of the Katrina
exhibition from 1 – 2 p.m. at the FAC MODERN (regular admission prices and
privileges apply). Space is limited, so please call the Box Office at
719.634.5583 to reserve your space.
Arthur Roger – Was displaced by the hurricane, but despite the catastrophes that
afflicted his own personal life, he wasted little time in asking artists
throughout the nation for work that commented on the aftermath of Katrina. Roger
is the owner of the Arthur Roger Gallery in New Orleans, which has been honored
as ‘one of the most influential galleries in the contemporary art market.’ He is
considered an innovator and a successful risk taker. His gallery has contributed
to art expositions and fairs in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Toronto and
Seattle. The Arthur Roger Gallery was the first gallery to re_open in New
Orleans after Katrina; Roger is actively involved in the cultural rebirth of the
NOLA arts scene.
Willie Birch – A native of New Orleans Willie Birch creates politically incisive
yet emotionally sensitive work that addresses issues relatedto African_American
culture and survival. The artist_s recent work has addressed New Orleans musical
heritage and also the multi_layered experience of African_American males.
Birch_s work has powerful political, sociological and spiritual meaning but is
wonderfully anchored in the daily life and celebratory rituals of the artist_s
New Orleans neighborhood. The work of Birch is exhibited and collected by
museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New Orleans Museum of Art
and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Birch was awarded a National
Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1984 and 1989. He also received the 1993
John Guggenheim Fellowship in sculpture.
Jacqueline Bishop – For the last 20 years Jacqueline Bishop has focused on
painting psychological and political elements regarding the natural word. Basing
her imagery on frequent trips to remote regions in North, South and Central
America including the Amazon rain forest, Bishop creates beautiful paintings
celebrating the beauty of nature but often also conveying a sense of impending
doom. The fragile interconnection of nature is a central theme in her work.
Jacqueline Bishop_s paintings represent the beauty and mystery of hidden places
in the world and within us. She has traveled with scientists and alone through
the disappearing forests of the Americas in Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, the
Brazilian Amazon, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Belize as well as her own Louisiana
swamps. Recently she also journeyed twice to Calcutta, India and Bangladesh to
lecture.
Dawn Dedeaux – One of America’s pioneering artists in new media, Dawn DeDeaux
was the first artist in Louisiana to heavily utilize electronic technology;
beginning with the creation of her CB Radio Booth media sculpture works and her
outdoor environment works which incorporated vdeo/film projections on buildings
in 1975. She is considered a pioneering artist in her creation of synchronized
multi_screen film surround environments such as the work, Face of God. She is
the winner of the international Montage 93 competition for work which best
merged art and technology. Works by DeDeaux have been exhibited widely,
including at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Armand Hanmer Museum in Los
Angeles, The Baltimore Museum of Contemporary Art, The New Orleans Museum of
Art, The Peace Museum, Chicago and Delfina Trust in London, England.
In addition, a selection of more than 100 photographs from the New Orleans
Museum of Art exhibition and book, Katrina Exposed: A Photographic Reckoning,
complements the main exhibit.
Following the free panel discussion, Roger will give a tour of the Katrina
exhibition from 1 – 2 p.m. at the FAC MODERN (regular admission prices and
privileges apply). Space is limited, so please call the Box Office to reserve
your space.
For tickets, contact the FAC Box Office at 719.634.5583 or visit
www.csfineartscenter.org
Katrina: Catastrophe and Catharsis is sponsored by The Gazette and KOAA News
Channel 5/30. Our grateful acknowledgement to the sponsors of the FAC MODERN:
Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado, JPMorgan Chase, and Nor’wood Development Group.
|
