Prof. D’Uva to show original works at Wriston -rws -jcr -dlh

Meghan McCallum

Beginning this Saturday, the Wriston Galleries will display the artwork of Professor Joseph D’Uva in a show called “cubscoutyears.” The show is to include many pieces, filling two galleries. The title “cubscoutyears” describes the childhood theme of the pieces, which do not necessarily relate to Cub Scouts but serve as memoirs of D’Uva’s early days.
D’Uva teaches painting and printmaking classes at Lawrence, and “cubscoutyears” will include both of these mediums as well as sculptures. “I teach both, but printmaking is my major forte,” D’Uva said.
Most of the artwork was actually made specifically for the show, so many of the pieces were made in 2004 and 2005, with the exception of a few from 2000*****(en dash no space)*****2003.
One of D’Uva’s many prints in “cubscoutyears” is an imaginary self-portrait lithograph series. It consists of several prints on laser-cut paper suspended from lithograph paper, creating silhouettes. “It was very complicated because I had to find someone with a laser cutter,” D’Uva explained.
The series includes several imaginary portraits of D’Uva as a boy, wearing a different hat and taking on a different persona in one. He is shown as Burt Reynolds in “Smokey and the Bandit,” David Hasselhoff in “Knight Rider,” and as an old man in Florida. “I thought it would be interesting to document these imaginary portraits,” he said of the series.
The “cubscoutyears” exhibit will include four sculptures using school desks. One of these, titled “ratrodschooldesk,” is an old school desk transformed into a Hot Rod. D’Uva said that “ratrodschooldesk” was inspired by memories of sitting in school and pretending that his desk was a car. “My family was involved in the automotive industry,” he added. “This is the coolest school desk that someone could ask for. I made what I always wanted.”
“V.W. post 4984” is a large piece, covering a whole wall, that includes shooting targets. According to D’Uva, it was spawned from childhood memories of his father taking him to carnival shooting ranges. As a police deputy working a night shift, D’Uva’s father did not get to spend much time with him, and these trips to the carnival are fond memories for D’Uva.
The piece was originally scheduled to show in October of 2000, but after 9-11 the showing was postponed. Since then, D’Uva said, the work has become more of a patriotic symbol as well.
D’Uva’s artwork has been shown internationally in countries such as Chile and Germany. There are also galleries of his work in Iowa, New Mexico, and Mexico. An opening reception for “cubscoutyears” will be held on Friday, January 28.