KU News Release

Exhibition at KU research building showcases art from faculty members

LAWRENCE — A yearlong exhibition of artwork by three University of Kansas faculty members will soon open in an unlikely location: the Multidisciplinary Research Building on KU’s west campus.

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and the Department of Art will host an opening reception for the exhibition from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, at the MRB. The public is invited to attend.

“We’re pleased to recognize the work of KU’s art faculty, while bringing some color and a little fun to this new research building,” said Jim Roberts, vice provost for research. “Science and art are both creative processes, and they ought to be closer together.” He noted that this may be the first time an exhibition of faculty artwork has taken place at KU outside a normal indoor gallery space.

The six art installations will be in public areas on all three floors of the MRB. Judith McCrea, professor and past chair of the Department of Art, led the committee that chose the artists.

“Placing contemporary art within this context emphasizes art as inquiry into many of the issues that are of interest to the sciences,” she said.

The artists featured this year are Shawn Bitters, Matthew Burke and Yoonmi Nam, all assistant professors of art. They will be at the reception to discuss their work.

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research provided each artist with an honorarium. Plans are to hold a similar exhibition each year at the MRB.

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