Western Gallery exhibit features artist lectures

Western Washington University’s Western Gallery is playing host to an international collaboration between Western's Cara Jaye and Miguel Rivera of Mexico through May 16.

Rivera will present a lecture at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in the Old Main Theater. More lectures also are planned; visit cfpa.wwu.edu/art for details.

In 2003, the two artists created “Crossover/Cruce de Vias.” The mixed-media exchange required paper works to be created, and then sent to the other artist’s studio to be added onto by the other’s hand. The exhibition is curated by Western alumna Amy Chaloupka.

The pieces in “Crossover/Cruce de Vias” incorporate drawing and printmaking and use layers and multiple viewpoints to create dialogue about crossing borders and nationalities. The work addresses ideas and issues of exchange, borders, authorship, travel and collaboration.

The project moved forward with the addition of new artists with varying ranges of artistic practices, all participating in a residency/exhibition in Kansas City and Buenos Aires. Later, international artists were invited to work on engraved plates by Rivera. The pool of applicants included Argentinian and international participants from Mexico, the U.S., Canada, South Africa, England, Colombia and South Korea. Images of viruses, geometry used in defense structures, and torture devices convey Rivera’s personal narrative of invisible threats, social unrest, and a concern about means of domination.

Each participant chose one or two images from pre-printed matrixes originally created by Rivera, challenging them to create a “bridge” between the concept of the original images and their own studio practice and ideas. Via video calls, email, and social media, the artists discussed the progress of the work. Since artists used varied processes such as printmaking, drawing, video, painting, blind embossing, stencils and painting, the resulting images are rich and complex.

Events related to the exhibition include artists-in-residence from April 6 through 10 and lectures scheduled for April 7, 8, 9, 21 and May 5 and 7. For complete details of the times and location of the lectures, visit cfpa.wwu.edu/art or call the Western Gallery at 360-650-3933.

Western Gallery hours are Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.

For more information, contact : Chris Casquilho, Western Washington University’s College of Fine and Performing Arts manager of Marketing and Special Events at (360) 650-2829, orchris.casquilho@wwu.edu.