Oscar Tuazon – Opening Gallery Reception
About the event
WSU Department of Fine Arts Hosts Visiting Artist Series Exploring Utopia/Dystopia
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, 5pm Gallery 2
Artist Talk Sept 30, 5pm FA 5062
Torrey Pines
Film screening with a live score performed by a 3 piece band
Oct 18, 7:30pm FA 5062
Interdisciplinary Symposium on Place
Oct 21 6pm-9pm, FA 5062
Ann-Marie Oliver
Lecture Nov 3, 5pm FA 5062
For more information please visit: https://finearts.wsu.edu/visiting-artists-and-scholars/