Meet with Dean Anne D’Alleva for the School of Fine Arts Dean’s Welcome
Von der Mehden Recital Hall
10:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Then meet with faculty in a round-robin Q & A to explore our Degree options, Areas of Concentration, see student work, discuss career paths in Art and Art History, tour facilities, and more!
Department of Art and Art History
Arena Gallery, Art Building
10:30 am – 1:00 pm
We look forward to seeing you!
Exhibit Dates
Oct 1 – Dec 7, 2018
Artist Reception
Fri, Oct 26, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
prior to performance by Kathleen Battle, soprano & Joel Martin, piano
Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey
Jorgensen Gallery
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
2132 Hillside Road
On the UConn campus in Storrs, CT
Gallery Hours
Due to classes scheduled in the Jorgensen Gallery, hours for fall 2018 are:
MWF 10am – 12pm
Tues 10am – 4pm
Thurs 1pm – 4pm
Prior to performances and during most intermissions.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Kamar Thomas is a fine artist from Port Antonio, Jamaica, currently Adjunct Faculty at the University of Connecticut. He graduated with a Master’s in Fine Art at the University of Connecticut in 2016 and a BA from Wesleyan University in 2012 where he became interested in how people present themselves, the masks they wear, and the differences between who/what is presented and how people really are.
ARTIST STATEMENT
King Midas is a mythical king from way back when who only wished for one thing: gold. He did what kings do and asked the Greek gods for him that wish. They did. With his new power, he touched a knife and boom: gold. He touched a fork: solid gold. He touched everything he could and became the richest king ever. He called a feast to celebrate his new gold-touching status. This was a feast to remember complete with a long table, giant turkey leg and stuffed pig with an apple in its mouth. When Midas reached out to eat that turkey leg, as soon as he touched it: gold.
This is a problem. Gold is hard to eat, even harder to digest and tastes terrible. Midas’ only daughter saw how sad he was and gave him a hug to cheer him up. As soon as he touched her: solid gold daughter.
The richest king ever, couldn’t eat, killed the only family he cared about
and starved to death. Sad story. Or was it?
I have made some of my favorite paintings to look at the same problem King Midas faced: becoming who you want to be and paying for it. Everybody has that problem. These large portraits intend to show how much contradiction there is and yet attempt to be beautiful.
I am interested in how flexible and unfixed identity is.
Co-sponsored by the H. Fred Simons African American Cultural Center, celebrating 50 years at UConn