MURFREESBORO — MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery is
playing host to a nationwide tour of unique artists with the “In/finite Earth”
exhibit open now through Wednesday, Oct. 1.
The
university is one of the stops on a national artists’ tour organized by VSA,
the international organization on arts and disabilities founded in 1974 by
Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith and formerly known as Very Special Arts.
Now in
its 12th year, the VSA “Emerging Artist Program” merged with the Kennedy Center
for the Performing Arts in 2011 to expand its services.
The MTSU
Arts-sponsored exhibit showcases works by 15 artists between 16 and 25 years
old who are living with disabilities. VSA works to boost their emerging careers
and provide the public with a chance to see these juried works of art.
MTSU’s Todd
Art Gallery is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and is
closed on weekends and state and university holidays. A free public reception
also is set for Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Todd Gallery from 5 to 7 p.m.
“The
artists showcased in ‘In/Finite Earth’ do not allow their disabilities to
handicap their lives but rather embrace their differences and employ them
through to their art,” Todd Art Gallery Director Eric Snyder said of the
exhibit.
“They
incorporate their thoughts, feelings, character and style through their
improvisations and manipulations. These aspects build matchless, creative
techniques based on a wide variety of unique, aesthetic values such
as symmetrical and geometrical design, curvature, contrast, values, textures
and intricate details which ultimately aid in conveying a portal
of communication through their works between them and their audience.”
The
exhibit includes works in traditional photography, paint, pastel, ceramics and
digital photography and also branches out into screen prints, archival ink jet
prints, stoneware and work designed of wood, epoxy resin and fiberglass. Participating
artists include Tennessean LaAndrea Mitchell of Memphis and Chris Willcox,
Kriston Poulson Gibbs, Kristi Beisecker, AJ Kiel, Dallas Looman, Kristi
Neilson, Benazir Torres, Haylee Fucini-Lenkey, Sarah Langsam, Westley Cedeno,
Mary Datta, Emilie Gossiaux and Madalyne Marie Hymas.
“The ‘In/finite Earth’ project is an amazing
opportunity for young adults with disabilities to pursue their dreams of a
career in the arts and demonstrate their outstanding talents,” said Lori
Kissinger, executive director of VSA Tennessee and an organizational
communications instructor at MTSU.
“VSA Tennessee is extremely pleased to see this
exhibit come to Tennessee, especially since one of the participants in this
exhibition is from Tennessee. Middle Tennessee State University was the perfect
location for the exhibit due to its location in the state and its commitment to
students with disabilities. VSA Tennessee will be working closely with
MTSU throughout 2014-15 due to the celebration of the 40th anniversary of VSA
and the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This
exhibition is the perfect way to kick off what is going to be exceptional year
of partnerships and programming.”
In
addition to support from MTSU Arts, the John F. Kennedy Center, and VSA, the
Volkswagen Group of America provided funding for the “In/finite Earth” exhibit.
For more
information about MTSU Arts, which presents a full slate of art, theatre and
music offerings at the university each year, visit http://www.mtsuarts.com.
For more
information, including parking and directions, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653
or eric.snyder@mtsu.edu or visit http://www.mtsu.edu/art. You also can
find a campus parking map at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap14-15.
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