The IU Art Museum hosts 2007 MFA exhibitions
As nature beautifies Bloomington each spring, the Indiana University Art Museum celebrates the flourishing talents of a new group of Master of Fine Arts candidates from IU Bloomington's Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts through a series of special exhibitions.
"Whoop & Peep" (Spring 2005) was written, designed, illustrated and printed by Jeff Hanson. The letterpress book and illustrations are brush and ink printed with photopolymer plates. The papers used in the book are Roma and Mohawk superfine.
Presented in three consecutive group shows, these events not only recognize these talented students' years of study, but allow the Bloomington community one last opportunity to view their works before they embark on their professional careers. All of the exhibitions, which are scheduled from March 28 to May 6, will be on view in the museum's Special Exhibitions Gallery. In an attempt to offer the public greater insight into their creative development, each artist will present a 10-minute gallery talk about their work at scheduled group receptions. Each artist talk will begin at 6:30 p.m.
The first show, March 28 to April 8, features the work of painter J. Jordan Bruns, who describes his oil paintings as "glossy, graphic imager… (incorporating) dreamlike elements of Americana, patriotism, pride and the fallen empire." The reception for Bruns's show will be held on Friday, March 30, from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. in the museum's Thomas T. Solley Atrium.
Mike Vitale's work," Synchromy in Tea Series, #4," was created using copper and prismacolor. The piece is among those featured in the MFA exhibit.
Running from April 11-22, the second show features the work of two artists. Garth Swanson—a painter who creates figurative, quasi-narrative works—will exhibit both paintings and works on paper. Graphic designer Jeff Hanson, who has worked in a variety of media from letterpress to digital video, uses "everything from binding and book materials to textures in film to create a mood and environment where the viewer can clearly understand the work."
A reception for Swanson and Hanson will be held in the museum's Thomas T. Solley Atrium on April 13, from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
The third show, which runs April 25 to May 6, will exhibit the works of four artists working in a variety of media. Printmaker Michelle Rozic will exhibit still-life and landscape prints combining intaglio and digital techniques. In Chatham Meade's paintings, abstractions of natural forms are created through an emphasis on color, light and movement.
Music and color are primary elements for metalsmith Mike Vitale, who will exhibit metal food-service-oriented hollowware. Finally, Joni Younkins-Herzog will display sculptural spiders; one of her pieces will be on view on the museum's second-floor outdoor sculpture terrace. The reception for these artists will held on Friday, April 27, from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. in the Thomas T. Solley Atrium.
All of the MFA exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public. Many pieces are for sale, with price lists available for reference at the museum's information desk.
MFA student Joni Younkins-Herzog created the bronze sculpture "Shufflestep Spider." The piece is featured in the current MFA exhibition.
This Michelle Rozic "Garden Variety" color mezzotint and digital print (2006) will be on display during the MFA exhibition.
