In the coming academic year and beyond, Villa Maria College is hosting a number of renowned artists as a part of its new visiting artist series, Catalyst. The series starts off on September 25 and 26 with artist Mark Dion, whose work exploring environmental politics, scientific authority, and the relationship between science and art has earned him widespread acclaim and a place in contemporary art history. Dion will lead a printmaking workshop available exclusively to Villa Maria students on Wednesday, September 25th at 11:15 AM. The workshop will take place in the art chapel on the second floor of Felician Hall.
That evening, Dion’s visit continues with an artist talk. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Recital Hall and will be open to the entire Western New York Community.
On September 26, Dion will return to campus to visit the private studios of Villa Maria’s senior fine art and integrated art students, giving them the opportunity to discuss their developing thesis work with a professional artist.
“The visiting artist series presents a unique opportunity for students to learn from and interface with artists operating at the highest level in the industry,” said Kyle Butler, assistant professor of fine arts at Villa Maria College. “For students pursuing a career in the arts, a distinct difficulty is finding ways of tangibly applying their creative interests toward finding a place in contemporary culture and in the creative economy. The grander art world can seem opaque, intimidating or distant. Through personal experiences with artists who have navigated that world successfully, we hope that students will develop a stronger grounding and direction in their own work.”
Future visiting artists include Arghavan Khosravi in the fall of 2024 and Summer Wheat in the fall of 2025.
Villa Maria’s visiting artist lecture series is made possible with the support of Mike and Josette Taheri.
