Bruce Nauman’s new digital artwork featured
Acclaimed artist Bruce Nauman (MFA 1966) was recently featured in The New York Times for his latest art piece: Nature Morte, an interactive digital artwork activated by an iPad touchscreen and projected at high resolution on a gallery wall, depicting the artist’s studio in New Mexico in forensic detail. The article discusses Nauman’s creative process and features snippets of the exhibition. Nauman is known for his wide range of diverse mediums, including his own body, language, sound, film, video, neon, holograms and 3D technology. His practice has expanded the traditional boundaries of art-making, reflecting the perceptions, preconceptions and contradictions which characterize our existence in the world. His work was featured at Sperone Westwater Gallery in New York through Nov. 14. To read the NY Times article, click here. To read more about Nauman’s current and past works at Sperone Westwater, click here.
Wayne Thiebaud turns 100
Wayne Thiebaud turned 100 on Nov. 15, the subject of multiple media interviews and exhibitions regionally. In a recent interview published by the Wall Street Journal, Thiebaud reflects on his life and artwork. To mark his centenary, the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento has arranged an exhibition of 100 of his pieces, many of which have not been displayed to the public before. The exhibition went on display on Oct. 16 and was temporarily closed due to COVID restrictions last week. It’s available virtually here. To read the Wall Street interview, click here.
New Opera by alumni under consideration for “Aperture”
Two UC Davis alumni are among 20 composer-librettist pairs preparing a new opera for consideration to be performed at West Edge Opera’s “Aperture” project. “Aperture” is an online performance space for new opera works, which launches in November 2020.
Ryan Suleiman, composer (doctorate in Music, ‘20), and Cristina Fríes, librettist (M.A., Creative Writing, ‘19), have titled their new work School for Girls Who Lost Everything in the Fire. The piece is a social tale about a group of orphaned girls finding the hope to rebuild their lives in a Catholic school in the aftermath of destruction amid mysterious phenomena.
Suleiman and Fríes previously collaborated on Moon, Bride, Dogs.
Learn more about West Edge Opera’s “Aperture” project.
Alums Zeina Baltagi and Caz Azevedo collaborate in exhibition
Zeina Baltagi and Caz Azevedo, both MFA 2020, were in conversation on Nov. 14 via Zoom as part of the opening reception of her work at Azevedo’s Gallery. She discussed her current artist lecture series at 11:11 A Creative Collective where she has a residency. Baltagi’s residency includes her ongoing project MARKETPLACE, which uses mirrored liquor signs as a literal and metaphorical reflection of her experience working within a 24/7 surveyed and recorded gas station. Her project observes what happens when people of all classes, genders, races and abilities intersect within a common space. Baltagi’s show will run through Jan. 7 as a revolving exhibition. To read more about Baltagi’s artwork at Azevedo, click here. To learn more about her 11:11 lecture series and residency, click here.
Alum Wins Caldera Art Residency
Congratulations to alum Tavarus Blackmon (MFA 2018), recipient of a Caldera Arts residency for spring 2021.
Grad Julia Elsas at Cooler Gallery
“Chime Choir” by Julia Elsas (MFA ‘09) is an installation of 1,250 microtonal porcelain chimes now on display at Cooler Gallery in Brooklyn, NY until Nov. 28. Visitors are invited to interact with the installation and play the chimes, with felt hand mallets provided, adding their own music to a continuous loop in the cooler space. The sound loop was created by musicians Kenny Wollesen and William Shore, together with Elsas.
Elsas created Chime Choir to be an encompassing communal instrument that people could move in and out of and play freely, simultaneously alone and together over a span of time.
Read more here.
Blog compiled by UC Davis Media Relations Intern Hayley Morris.