Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Aurora, New York - The Wells College Art Department is pleased to announce the first exhibition of the 2008-09 academic year. "The Floating Bridge: A 3-D Print Installation," by New York City artist Mary Ann Strandell will be on display in the String Room Gallery from September 3 through October 1. The exhibit is free and the public is cordially invited to view the show. An opening reception to be held on Wednesday, September 3 from 7:00-9:00 pm offers an opportunity to meet the artist; light refreshments will be served.


Mary Ann Strandell is a recent recipient of a Geraldine R. Dodge fellowship, and an Art Omi International residency award. Ms. Strandell received her M.A. and M.F.A. from the University of New Mexico after a fellowship at Tamarind Institute, and a B.F.A. from the University of South Dakota cum laude. She has also studied abroad in London and Ireland, and taken courses in psychology at Syracuse University.

Ms. Strandell's artist statement best describes "The Floating Bridge" exhibition: "...continues my interest in historical interaction between Eastern and Western imagery layered in a tsunami of OP-art patterning. The works have an attitude, which engage cultural consumption and the collision of historic spaces. The graphic and dream-like renderings are a parallax world alluding to present day shifts of power and changing economic values. These works include drawings on paper and Mylar and the optical media of 3-D lenticular prints, which reveal layered information through a lens. Thus, the viewer is in a constant state of looking and activating the image."

Ms. Strandell shows her work nationally and internationally. Her Manhattan venues include Bravin Lee Projects, Michael Steinberg Fine Art, and Bitform Gallery. Look for her upcoming exhibitions at Realform Project Space in Brooklyn, The Kansas City Museum, The Bridge Art Fair in Miami, and Deborah Colton Fine Art in Houston.

This is the first exhibition curated by Wells' Assistant Professor of Art History William Ganis. "We're excited to bring Ms. Strandell's work to the Wells campus, especially since few have seen prints like this-she fuses drawing, painting, printmaking, photography and digital technologies to create pieces that simply transfix viewers," said Ganis. "The artist uses the lenticular print-basically, a series of hundreds of tiny lenses-to create viewer-activated illusions, spatial ambiguities and movements. Her show offers an opportunity to introduce Wells students to new approaches and media that complement their studies in studio practice, book arts and art history."

The String Room Gallery is located in Main Building. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday - Thursday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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