We are extremely pleased to announce two concurrent Master of Fine Arts alumni solo exhibitions in the month of May at the UNO-St. Claude Gallery. “Abracadabra (The Art of Gender Illusion)” by Maxx Sizeler (M.F.A., 2001) considers issues related to identity and gender. The objects in Sizeler’s show address “symbols of boy-ness” and a fascination with “magician’s equipment,” according to the artist’s statement, as a way to reflect on “the idea of building identity through objects.” Francesca “Frahn” Koerner (M.F.A., 1997) includes 22 abstract paintings that “use color and mark-making to portray deeper themes” in “The Scales Fell from Her Eyes.” The abstract forms, dominated by striking color, shape, and line, relate to spiritual and literary sources, which in turn inspire seeking truth and meaning through self-reflection.
Professor Rebecca Lee Reynolds, contemporary art historian in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of New Orleans, curated the exhibitions. She states that the shows feature the work of “two artists who have very different styles but whose long-standing friendship has fed their work.” She notes the comparability of the “personal search for meaning and resolution” among their works, as well as the contrast between Sizeler’s “largely monochromatic multi-panel paintings…with the dynamic use of color in Frahn’s practice.”
The gallery, located at 2429 St. Claude Ave., will host an opening reception on Saturday, May 14, from 6-9 p.m. The exhibition will run from May 14 – June 5, 2016. Regular gallery hours are Sat-Sun, 12-5 p.m. Please direct any inquiries to Kathy Rodriguez via email at klrodri2@uno.edu or call the gallery during open hours at 504.948.6939.
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