Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mills College Art Museum Announces Walking Backwards Forward An Exhibition of New Work By Mills College Graduate Students


Exhibition Dates:
May 1–29, 2011

Opening Reception:
Sat, April 30, 6:00-8:00 pm

Panel Discussion:
Sat, May 7, 5:00-7:00 pm


Oakland, CA—March 24, 2011. The Mills College Art Museum is proud to present Walking Backwards Forward, the thesis exhibition for the 2011 Master of Fine Arts degree recipients. The exhibition showcases works by a promising group of emerging artists created during their graduate program in the Mills College MFA studio program. The exhibition is curated by Stephanie Hanor, Director of the Mills College Art Museum.

Walking Backwards Forward features work by Alexa Alexander, Sholeh Asgary, Sohyung Choi, Hilary Galián, Sarah Hirneisen, Amy M. Ho, Emily Hoyt, David Johnson, Danielle Lawrence, Chelsea Pegram, David Sleeth and Alexander Treu.

According to Hanor, “Walking Backwards Forwards demonstrates not only the high quality of the work produced by the Mills MFA candidates, but also their dedication to continually pushing themselves to stretch and test their artistic capabilities.”

David Sleeth explores his interests in archeology through experimentation with materiality and form. His aim is to manipulate the perceived context of objects allowing the viewer to re-imagine their understanding of the world around them and their place within it. Using the metaphor of a knot, Sarah Hirneisen’s sculptures explore heritage, human relationships, and memory, creating logical connections between complicated systems.

In a climate of porous borders, Hilary Galián paints real and unreal places to investigate the condition of connectedness and belonging. David Johnson wants you to know that the world is made up of all sorts of ordinary things, but most importantly, it is made up of the interactions between these things. Through various time-based methods, he examines these interactions in order to better grasp the sum and the parts of the past, present and future. Sholeh Asgary is interested in exploring how memories are a fusion of fact and subjective filter. Through memory, the abstract and representational aspects of our experiences become intertwined, and in her mixed media works, she attempts a literal representation of this phenomenon.

Danielle Lawrence playfully investigates the perception of both formal and psychological space within traditional and hybrid offerings of representation. The resulting videos, paintings and sculptures explore illusions of security in our ever-changing social and environmental landscapes. Emily Hoyt questions how we can see the world fully when our emotional perspective is constantly changing. She creates installations using light, shadow, and linear forms as a way to frame the surroundings, underscoring our limited ability to grasp them in their entirety. Through her sculptural work, Chelsea Pegram explores a visceral mode of perception in which line and space are sensed and tactilely navigated as a way to reconsider our methods of making meaning.

Re-appropriating found photography, Alexa Alexander investigates how photographs are viewed and remembered. By physically dissecting and fragmenting photographs, she redirects the viewer’s focus to the act of looking while emphasizing recollection. Amy M. Ho builds video and spatial installation works that bring attention to the duality of our existence as both physical and psychological beings.

Every consumer product has a story about its origin, a story that reveals an alternative history of our lives. Through mixed media installations, Alexander Treu demonstrates his obsession with the food industry’s manipulation of our minds and bodies. Sohyung Choi’s large-scale, multimedia installation works explore self and cultural identity.


Special Events (please visit our website for updated details):

Sat, April 30, 6:00-8:00 pm
Art Museum
Opening Reception for Walking Backwards Forward

Sat, May 7, 5:00-7:00 pm
Art Museum
Panel Discussion with the MFA Artists moderated by Glen Helfand

Friday, October 8, 2010

One Night Stand Tonight!!

One Night Stand is 6-10 tonight at Branch Gallery! Come early for the best selection- there are lots of great pieces at amazing steals and have a drink while you're here.



Thursday, October 7, 2010

One Night Stand Tomorrow Night!!!

It's almost here, the moment you've been saving up for! So, come on out and help support the class of 2011. All proceeds go towards the production of the MFA Show which will take place April 30th 2011 at the Mills College Art Museum (save the date...).

Guaranteed to be a fun night with great art, yummy food, & strong drinks.

See you there!!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Save your pennies

Hey Folks,

One Night Stand is just around the corner. We hope you are saving your spare change to buy some really great art works at amazing deals! We've all been working away and will have some fabulous pieces to show for it. Also, plan to come early so it's not all gone 'till you get there. For your eating & drinking pleasure- we will have a lovely array of baked goods, drinks, a special cocktail, and more!! Proceeds from food & drink will go towards our MFA show as well.

Hope to see you there!

The Class of 2011

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

One Night Stand, a Mills MFA group show


One Night Stand

An Exhibition of emerging artists from the MFA in studio art program at Mills College.
October 8th 2010 6-10 pm at Branch Gallery 455 17th Street, Suite 301 Oakland, CA 94612.

One night only!!
Come help support the class of 2011, all artworks for sale will be priced under $50

Participating artists are:
Alexa Kay Alexander, Sholeh Asgary, Sohyung Choi, Hilary Galian, Sarah Hirneisen, Amy M. Ho, Emily Hoyt, David Johnson, Danielle Lawrence, Chelsea Pegram, David Sleeth & Alexander Treu.

Also on view will be artworks from the first year graduate students: Jocelyn Meggait, Madelyn Covey, Michael Koehle, Kent Segura, Susanna Corcoran, Michael Mersereau, Camilla Newhagen, Samuel L. Jones, Sofia Sharpe, Matthew Gottschalk, Tressa Pack, & Seth Murchison.