Note to editors and news directors: Images of art from the exhibits, along with portraits of the artists, are available to accompany this release at this link: http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/ppa/SC_mastersthesis/index.html. To arrange interviews with the artists, contact the CSULA Public Affairs office at (323) 343-3050.
‘Stones,’ abandonment to share
CSULA gallery as Blechner, Maher
present master’s thesis exhibits
Los Angeles, CA –– In thesis exhibitions titled “Living Stones” and “Disposable,” two Cal State L.A. graduate students examine the natural world and its impact on humans – and vice versa – in a two-week run opening Saturday, March 1, at Cal State L.A.’s Fine Arts Gallery.
“Living Stones” is a body of work by Doug Blechner inspired by the Japanese and Chinese traditions of rock collecting and viewing. In these art forms, known respectively as Suiseki and Scholar Stones, natural rocks are selected for their inherent beauty and their ability to convey something about the natural world, often evoking images of a landscape, a human shape, or an animal form.
According to Blechner, “While a stone or rock is solid and stable, an inanimate object, these sculptures have been filled with life, a force that gives them an animate quality.” Taking inspiration from objects in the natural world, Blechner uses color and surface treatment to give them an otherworldly quality.
A resident of San Pedro, Calif., Blechner received his bachelor’s degree in ceramics at California State University, Long Beach.
In “Disposable,” Tony Maher displays several multi-panel photographs depicting abandoned furniture and belongings in the Western landscape. Both biographical and social in content, the work explores the links between time, space and human interaction in the places we inhabit.
“The images,” said Maher, “are as much about the objects depicted as they are about the places they are in. Our disregard for the environment is evident in the abandonment of our own personal possessions.”
Maher, who lives in Rancho Cucamonga, received his bachelor's degree in studio arts at California State University, San Bernardino.
The Fine Arts Gallery is a program of the Department of Art at Cal State L.A. Admission to its exhibits is free.
What:
Two graduate thesis exhibitions: “Living Stones” by Doug Blechner and “Disposable” by Tony Maher
When:
March 1 - March 15, 2008 (Hours: Monday-Thursday and Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Free admission.)
Opening:
The opening reception is Saturday, March 1, 2008, 6-8 p.m.
Location:
Fine Arts Gallery in the Fine Arts Building at Cal State L.A., at the intersection of the 10 and 710 freeways. Directions may be found at www.calstatela.edu
Parking:
Public parking available at Parking Structure C (Permit dispenser - $.50/hour)
Details:
Cal State L.A. Fine Arts Gallery: (323) 343-4040
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