Rice Students Turn Billboards Into Works Of Art
April 2nd, 2009 | by Staff | Published in News | Email This Post
Rice
University students are making the arts accessible to Texans this
spring by creating billboards featuring their original works and
hosting an open studio April 22. Each of the five billboards measures
11 feet by 23 feet and will go up today in locations in and around
College Station.
Though there is a long tradition of artists making dramatic visual
statements in the space that’s usually reserved for advertising, it is
rare for such an opportunity to be made available to students, said
international artist and Rice professor Christopher Sperandio.
Lamar Outdoor Advertising donated the billboard space when Sperandio
approached the company with the idea. He then secured Meredith
Goldsmith, curatorial associate at the Contemporary Arts Museum
Houston, to jury and select pieces for the student billboard project.
“The range of artwork that Rice University students are making is
impressive, and my selections reflect that range,” Goldsmith said.
“This billboard project was a unique opportunity for the artists to
stretch their subject matter and styles for a venue that audiences
experience in motion. I am sure the students’ images will delight and
challenge their unsuspecting audience of drivers, as banal familiar
landmarks are transformed into works of art.”
The student billboard project exemplifies the reinvigoration of the
Visual and Dramatic Arts Program at Rice, said Sperandio, assistant
professor of visual and dramatic arts and head of the Studio Department.
“Billboards are just part of the changes,” Sperandio said, noting that
the faculty has revised the studio program curriculum. “You can expect
some exciting artworks to flow out of our program. Visual Art 2.0 is
here - a critically minded, student-focused, boutique arts program
perfect for artist/scholars who want to take advantage of the
interdisciplinary nature of Rice and work in an expanded cultural
field.”
The senior art exhibition will underscore those changes April 22 during
an open studio night in Sewall Hall. The exhibition, which is supported
by an anonymous one-time gift, will showcase installation and video art
as well as traditional painting, drawing, printmaking and photography.
Samples of the billboard art will also be shown.
For the first time, Rice is producing a catalog of the artworks, and
5,000 copies will be distributed as an insert in the April 17 issue of
the Rice Thresher, the student newspaper. This oversized, full-color
tabloid will feature reproductions and statements by the artists.
“Visual Arts is a crucial, if undervalued, field of study,” Sperandio
said. “All of this activity - the billboards, the studio show, the
production of a catalog of student works - is an effort to reboot
Visual Arts at Rice. Through these efforts we are encouraging students
to use their studio time to research ways to integrate their studies.”
The April 22 exhibition kicks off at 6 p.m. with a film screening and
reception for undergraduate works at the Rice Media Center, then
continues in Sewall Hall for the 8 p.m. open studio reception for
senior works and an after-party with music and dancing in the sculpture
courtyard behind Sewall.
A documentary I co-directed has won a spot in QFEST 2007, Houston's Gay and Lesbian film festival.
Merlyn Pagano is a breif documentary following Houston's favorite queer witch. Set in the heart of Montrose and starring Merlyn himself (as himself). Directed by Amelia Reiff Hill, Julie Armstrong, and Benjamin Pollak.
here is what the Houston Chronicle had to say about it:
This year also will add "Show Us Your Shorts," a competition in partnership with indie-film site Iklipz.com. Eight shorts will vie, with the winner featured on Bridging the Gap, an online Iklipz series in which newcomers are mentored by film professionals.
As the festival's only competition, "Show Us Your Shorts" already has been juried online. Its winning short is Merlyn Pagano, directed by Rice University students Amelia Reiff Hill, Julie Armstrong and Benjamin Pollack.
Hill will represent them and be mentored by Robert Nu�ez, director of We're All Angels. A taping of the event Sunday will be shown about a week later on Bridging the Gap at www.iklipz.com.
So obviously we're all very excited about this.
Although you have this special online sneak-peek (below), I'd still encourage everyone to come on out to the Angelika Theater this Sunday September 23rd, 2007 at 11:00 AM.
Come check out the other 7 entries and have a good time- admission is free!
Hi again,
Ame here, just giving all of you in the Houston area a heads-up about the recent Houston Press Article that my recent piece You Can't Beat The System is featured in.
I'll attach here the bulk of the article.
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to thank all of the wonderful people who were able to make it out to my opening this past Saturday.
It was great meeting all of you and receiving your wonderful feedback.
Of course, I know not everyone could make it out and I understand. For these people, I'd like you to know that you can still visit my installtion anytime Wednesday - Sunday during the hours of 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM until September 9, 2007
Thanks again to all of yall for your support!
P.S.- This space will be updated frequently to feature new works, press clippings, and more, so bookmark it and stop by often.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Hello,
Ame here. I wanted to personally invite you to my art opening Saturday August 25th. I'll be there with complimentrary refreshments from six to eight p.m.
You Can't Beat The System is the new piece I created over my 6 week residency at Project Row Houses. It uses found objects, acrylic paint, and sweeping swaths of fabric to immerse you in the impasto environment.
There will be other resident artists displaying their work in the adjacent houses.
Look for it at 2505 Holman st. Houston, Texas, 77004
I hope to see you there!
