Marking its 16th season, the University of Arizona School of Art’s Visiting Artists and Scholars Endowment series will feature acclaimed artists and educators Vincent Valdez, Kim Cosier, Kelli Anderson and Suchitra Mattai in 2023-24.
The free, hour-long VASE presentations will be held on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Center for Creative Photography auditorium, 1030 N. Olive Road. Here’s the lineup:
• Vincent Valdez (Oct. 19): Based in Houston and Los Angeles, Valdez is recognized for his monumental portrayal of the contemporary figure. His drawn and painted subjects remark on a universal struggle within various socio-political arenas and eras.
• Kim Cosier (Nov. 2): A professor of Art Education in the Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cosier is a member of the activist art collective the Art Build Workers, in which artists and designers partner with community organizations to create artwork that makes visible messages of social transformation.
• Kelli Anderson (Feb. 29): A designer and paper engineer whose work operates in the space between conceptual art, graphic design and tech. Her whimsical books have featured a working paper planetarium, a pop-up pinhole camera, and a paper record player.
• Suchitra Mattai (March 21): The Guyana native explores how memory and myth can unravel and reimagine historical narratives. She works in painting, textile, drawing, sculpture and video to respond critically to colonial histories, particularly those pertaining to her Indo-Caribbean heritage.
“We serve our greatest purpose by providing students with impactful experiences,” Regents Professor Sama Alshaibi said. “The 2023-2023 series features partnerships with the CCP, Racial Justice Studio and UArizona Libraries, allowing us to increase the visibility and impact of the arts on our campus. The VASE program gives students the chance to interact directly with esteemed creative practitioners and thinkers in the field through workshops, seminars, critiques and public lectures.”
In addition to the School of Art and Center for Creative Photography, the series is made possible by the school’s Art Advisory Board Visiting Artists and Scholars Endowment, the National Endowment for the Arts and the College of Fine Arts Dean’s Fund for Excellence.
Go to vase.art.arizona.edu for more details.