West Virginia State University Hosts Traveling Multi-media Art Exhibition

8/11/2015

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Contact: Kimberly Osborne
(304) 766-3363
kosborne@wvstateu.edu
 
   
INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University (WVSU) will host Michael McKowen’s “World of the Willing,” a traveling multi-media art exhibition, at the Della Brown Taylor Art Gallery from Monday, Aug. 17 through Sept. 18, 2015.

An opening night reception will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday in the Gallery, which is located in the Davis Fine Arts Building on the school’s Institute campus. The reception is free and open to the public.

“World of the Willing” features paintings, sculpture, films, illustrations and designs to explore the theme of transformation. Throughout the exhibition, damaged and discarded objects become pieces that entertain and stimulate the mind and imagination in new ways.

“Michael McKowen’s ‘World of the Willing’ exhibit is a fascinating exploration of an early 20th century fantasy world incorporating diverse stylistic elements,” said Josh Martin, assistant professor and chair of the Art Department at WVSU. “It’s rich, mysterious and fun." 

McKowen is a freelance designer and artist for theater, film and events across the country. He earned his master of fine arts degree in scenic and costume design from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and his master of fine arts degree in film and television from Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts.

His work has been showcased by PBS, The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, The Eclipse Theater Company, The Texas Shakespeare Festival, The Dallas Shakespeare Festival, The Jean Cocteau Repertory Theater, The Sierra Repertory Theater and in numerous independent and corporate films, music videos and commercials.

McKowen was the video designer for the 2014 Contemporary American Theater Festival production of “Uncanny Valley” in Shepherdstown, W.Va., as well as the Off-Broadway production. His artwork has been seen in both group and solo exhibitions and his films have been screened in multiple festivals including Vision Fest at the Tribeca Theater in New York City, and The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Gallery Crawl.

For more information, contact Martin at martinjd@wvstateu.edu or (304) 766-3198.

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West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.