PULLMAN, Wash. — The Washington State University Museum of Art opens its Fine Arts Faculty Exhibition Oct. 26 in the museum gallery.
The annual exhibition that continues through Dec. 17 provides an opportunity for museum visitors to view recent and past work in a variety of media by current and retired members of the WSU Department of Fine Arts faculty.
The opening reception, hosted by the Friends of the Museum of Art, is set for 7-9 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Fine Arts Center atrium. Music for the reception will be provided by “Gravity,” a group of five WSU students who perform original rock and roll music. Free parking for the reception will be available in the Fine Arts Center parking structure.
Beginning Oct. 28, the museum will debut the 1999 Fine Arts Faculty Lecture Series. Each lecture in the four-part series will feature a faculty member who will speak about his or her work. The 7 p.m. lectures are planned for the Fine Arts Auditorium.
Assistant Professor Phuong Nguyen will present the first offering in the series, “Recycling Ideas.” He will discuss the evolution of his ideas for art objects, beginning with the initial collection of raw materials to the presentation of the completed piece. Nguyen is a painter who joined the WSU faculty in 1997. He received his master of fine arts degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Associate Professor Ann Christenson will present the Nov. 18 lecture, “Cool Breeze Under the Armpits.” She will discuss influences on her work as a ceramic artist, including her travels in China and hikes on Kamiak Butte. Christenson received her master of fine arts degree in sculpture from the University of California, Berkeley, and has been at WSU since 1990.
On Dec. 2, Associate Professor Carol Ivory will present the lecture “Past, Present, Future: Marquesan Art at the Millennium.” She will give an overview of Marquesan art and how it has changed since European contact was established in the late 18th century, concluding with a look at the contemporary renaissance of Marquesan art. An art historian, Ivory received master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Washington. She has been a member of the WSU faculty since 1992.
Assistant Professor Emily Blair will present “Recent Work,” the final lecture of the series on Dec. 9. Blair works in a variety of media including digital imaging, video, installation and printmaking, with particular emphasis on the intersections between technologies. Her talk will focus on her recent work that examines the spatial politics of everyday places including office parks, museums, shopping malls and schools. She also plans to include a screening of her recent video production, “Only Temporary,” which, according to her artist’s statement, “employs a gothic narrative to interrogate the power structure of the office.” A member of the WSU faculty since 1997, Blair received her master of fine arts degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
In cooperation with WSU Tri-Cities, the Museum of Art will present selections from this year’s Fine Arts Faculty Exhibition at the Richland campus Jan. 2-27, as part of an ongoing collaboration between the museum and the WSU branch campuses. The work will be on display in the Consolidated Information Center, Room 102, 2770 University Dr., Richland, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, and 1-5 p.m. Sundays. Parking is available in front of the CIC.
Docent tours of the exhibition for groups of four or more can be arranged by calling the museum office at 509/335-1910. The gallery is wheelchair accessible. All events are free and open to the public. The museum is open Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesdays 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays 1-5 p.m., with extended hours for football Saturdays and some other special events. The museum will be closed Nov. 11, Nov. 20-21, and Nov. 25-28. It is open by appointment only Nov. 22-24.
Parking permits for weekday visitors may be purchased at the Cougar Depot at Davis Way (Hwy. 270) and State Street, or at WSU Parking Services on Wilson Road, directly uphill from the Fine Arts Center. On weekday evenings, parking is available in the Fine Arts parking structure, off Stadium Way at Grimes Way, for an hourly fee. Weekend parking is free.
Funding for museum exhibitions and programs is provided by WSU, the Friends of the Museum of Art and private donors. A portion of the museum’s general operating funds for this fiscal year has been provided through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency providing general operating support to the nation’s museums.
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