May 18, 2010

MFA Show at UCSB University Art Museum to Feature Work of Seven New Artists

Deirdre O’Shea

The work of seven artists completing their Master of Fine Arts degrees at UC Santa Barbara will be on display at the University Art Museum from June 2 through June 20. The group show, entitled "Visible Spectrum," is the culmination of an intense two-year course of study that emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to making art. From painting, sculpture and photography to environmental installations and videos, the works on display demonstrate the idiosyncratic sensibilities of each artist and the broad range of artistic practices within contemporary art today.

"These seven young artists have developed individual works of art that collectively incorporate a broad range of materials, aesthetics and methods," said Jane Callister, a painter and professor of art who chairs the Department of Art's Graduate Committee. "From discrete personal objects that transcend their mundane origins, to site-specific installations that invite audience participation and curiosity, these vibrantly visual formal presentations demonstrate the idiosyncratic sensibilities of each artist creating a dialogue that simultaneously accentuates each of their voices whilst harmonizing as a whole."

On display will be works by Laura Krifka, Masha Lifshin, Lauren Tyler Norby, Karen Spector, Shane Tolbert, Raymond Uhlir, and Stephanie Washburn. Their installations will include a fictional burial mound, complete with symbolic artifacts and surrounding environment (Uhlir); a "curiosity cabinet" with items made from found objects and trash (Lifshin); a series of large-scale minimalist paintings made by stitching together portions of canvas that have been dyed using bleach (Tolbert); "The Lauren Tyler Norby Show!" a video project with hand-drawn backgrounds, with semi-fictional accounts about the life of the artist (Norby); digital prints, sculptures, and videos that explore conceptions of time and bodily gestures (Spector); a series of paintings, digital prints and collages that use the notion of drawing as the basis for political and performative acts (Washburn); and sculptures, paintings, and a stop-animation video inspired by pioneer culture and 1950's Hollywood musicals (Krifka).

"Visible Spectrum" is organized by the University Art Museum and the Department of Art, UC Santa Barbara.

For more information on the artists and to see examples of their work, please visit www.arts.ucsb.edu.

The University Art Museum is located in the heart of the UCSB campus. It is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon–5 p.m., and admission is free.

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.