Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t like to brag, but I’m something of a fashion plate. When I pick a new style it’s quickly copied by designers and artists the world over. Monochromatic shirt and tie combos? That wasn’t Regis, that was me. Wisconsinites wearing black? Yup, me again. This time, however, I’m going with the understated elegance of the T-shirt. Not a plain white one, no sir. That would be too easy. Now I can be spotted all over town doing my catwalk wearing the next craze in fashion: the beige, all-cotton T-shirt sporting the image of Chicago artist and ravishing beauty Bibiana Suarez.
The Puerto Rican-born Suarez, professor of art at DePaul University and skilled master with the brush, lens, and digital scanner, arrives on campus this Friday to present a lecture complimenting the opening of her popular solo exhibit “Domino/Domin¢.” Running from Sept. 24 until Nov. 7, “Domino/Domin¢” (1997) reflects the cultural clash Suarez perceived upon her move to the United States in 1980. Much of the work outlines the difficulty in matching different cultures in one environment.
Also showing in the Wriston Gallery is a second exhibit, a cornucopia of works spanning a time period of several centuries. Many of the pieces are prints or multiples, mostly by American artists. However, a recent and generous donation by a Lawrence alum has sparked a voracious interest in fine Japanese Goya prints.
Another donation appears in this second exhibit and may very well be the most interesting works in the entire gallery, discounting the Suarez collection of course. Two black and white photographs of a famous musician, known for his slicked hair and unusual manipulation of the hip region, hang in the first gallery, mid-thrust and pre-weight gain. It’s a real piece of eye candy.
For those who enjoy art, the Wriston Gallery is the place to be this fall, unless you’re over 21 and/or haven’t recently been kicked out of the YMCA’s step aerobics class for spilling your Bloody Mary. (It’s just a piece of celery babe, step around it.)
Open reception and lecture by Bibiana Suarez at 6 p.m. on Friday, September 24 in Wriston auditorium.