WSU Department of Fine Arts Hosts Visiting Artist Series Exploring Utopia/Dystopia
PULLMAN, WA – On Thursday, September 29, Washington State University’s
Department of Fine Arts will host an artist talk and exhibition of works by internationally
renown contemporary artist Oscar Tuazon. This is the third event in a series of events
exploring Utopia/Dystopia, the theme for WSU’s Department of Fine Arts 2016-2017
visiting artist and scholar lecture and exhibition series.
The exhibition of Oscar Tuazon’s work will be on view September 29-October 15 with
an opening reception Thursday, September 29, from 5-7 p.m. An artist talk by Oscar
Tuazon will be held Friday, September 30, in the fine arts building, room FA 5062 at
5 p.m.
Oscar Tuazon
Originally born in Seattle and currently living in Los Angeles Oscar Tauzon works with
industrial and natural materials to create functionless installations that evoke ideas
about space, or in Tuazon’s words “outlaw architecture”. He has exhibited
internationally in venues such as the Venice Biennale, the Whitney Biennial, and many
museum and gallery solo shows. The works in Oscar Tuazon’s exhibition at WSU will
be created with the help of fine arts students. While he is visiting Pullman, Tuazon will
also give an artist talk that will include an overview of his art.
Utopia/Dystopia
Utopia may be simply interpreted as a place where current problems are resolved or
transcended, or an imaginary state of social or cultural perfection. Dystopia,
conversely, may be seen as an imaginary state of pure awfulness, or perhaps the real
and ultimate conclusion of our current anthropocene. Ideas about utopias and
dystopias have long been of interest to artists working across media, popularized by
writers of fiction and challenged by critical theorists. Lately, utopias and dystopias are
everywhere—showing up in films like the Hunger Games series and much of the
election year political rhetoric. In the selection of artists and scholars the department
of fine arts has interpreted this theme broadly, inviting artists and scholars employing
ideas as wide-ranging as mushroom spores, science fiction religions, improbable
architectures, motorcycle grease and stop-motion tigers.
Utopia/Dystopia 2016-2017 Fine Arts Season Schedule
Oscar Tuazon
Exhibition Opening Sept 29, 5 p.m. Gallery 2
Artist Talk Sept 30, 5 p.m. FA 5062
Torrey Pines
Film screening with a live score performed by a 3 piece band
Oct 18, 7:30 p.m. FA 5062
Interdisciplinary Symposium on Place
Oct 21 6 – 9 p.m., FA 5062
Ann-Marie Oliver
Lecture Nov 3, 5 p.m. FA 5062
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For more information please visit: https://finearts.wsu.edu/visiting-artists-and-scholars/
