By Adriana Ruiz
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Every semester, the visual arts program invites nationally known artists to speak and give students an opportunity to see art from professionals.
Professor Debra Schafter, chair of the art Lecture and Film Committee, and other faculty members nominate artists for the series and those selected are invited to speak at the college.
In the past, artists such as Paul Rotterdam, Christiane Paul and Keith Carter have been invited.
Faculty members look for artists who have a strong academic background for nomination to encourage students to continue their studies at four-year universities.
“They are kind of like role models for our students, and we want to encourage the academic artist who has a foundation,” Schafter said.
On Sept. 19, Borgdan Perzynski, art professor and co-founder of the transmedia program at the University of Texas at Austin, talked to students about his artwork and career, which spans nearly 40 years.
His works have been exhibited worldwide and use media video, interactive code, computer vision and positioning, physical interaction, social interaction and individual invention.
Perzynski presented a variety of his works in a slideshow that contained videos and photographs of “Clogs,” a 1981 performance with clogs; “Skits-o-phre-nia,” a 1988 installation; and “A Family and Friends Event” a five-minute video projection that showed his friends and family singing karaoke.
He gave insight about his work and credits the teaching of Alicja Kepinska, Professor of Art History at Institute of Art, Polish Academy of Sciences, although she did not teach him studio art, as his greatest inspiration.
“My teacher, a woman who didn’t teach me studio, but she was great to talk to and wrote a great number of books.” Perzynski said.
Students got a personal view into his artwork and had the chance to build their own opinion.
“It was interesting because he is a foreigner and it is interesting because he has a different perspective,” engineering sophomore David Botello said.
The artist lectures are open to the public but are intended to expand this college’s students’ understanding of art outside the classroom, Schafter said.
The next artist lecture will feature Richard Duardo, artist, master printer and founder of Modern Multiples Fine Art Editions, at 12:15 p.m. Nov. 21 in the visual arts center.
Duardo has created many print series, including “The Chicano Collection,” and has overseen the works of artists such as David Hockney, Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Banksy, Ron English, Blek Le Rat, Raymond Pettibon and John Van Hamersveld.
The lecture is free and will include a documentary film screening followed by a screen-printing workshop at 1:40 p.m. in the visual arts center.