JONATHAN MCFADDEN EXHIBITION "I don't know why this posts twice?? Sorry."

February 20 – March 24, 2017    ARTIST LECTURE: Monday, February 20, 2017 Arbury 107, 3 - 4 pm ARTIST RECEPTION: Monday, February 20, 2017 Gallery, 4 – 6 pm INSTALLATION OF EXHIBITION will be held on the following days: SATURDAY 2/18, 12-8PM & SUNDAY 2/19, 12-6PM Students interested in participating in installation of exhibition RSVP to tmlewis@svsu.edu by February 12th.

Jonathan McFadden is the Assistant Professor of Printmaking in the School of Art & Visual Studies at the University of Kentucky. His print and installation work pulls its influence from social media outlets, specifically his neighborhood association’s Facebook Page and juxtaposed against imagery pulled from a variety of news sources as a means of balancing how social media acts as both Richard Stallman and Julian Assange put it, as a surveillance engine.

‌

"My work explores the deluge of ephemeral text and imagery presented by media and how this cacophony of imagery has altered our understanding of the globalized landscape it presents. The bombardment of information that streams on social media sites and news outlets create a sense of urgency that is intensely focused on the NOW. The often haste and theatric nature of media information elevates the impulsive reaction and dissuades from proper reflection.

Instead of representing a traditional narrative the consumption of information blurs from one source to another flowing from Facebook to Wikipedia to Reddit and other sources of information. This presents us with a fragmented narrative that is layer with preference to what is liked or voted up. Rather than representing this information as ephemeral my print and installation work uses this information to build a physical history built in the layers of information that makes up my visual aesthetic.  Blending issues that are viewed as “serious” with the vernacular of Twitter and Facebook I seek to create imagery that is indicative of contrast between what is considered trivial and significant."

All gallery exhibitions, lectures and receptions are free and open to the public.  Click the following link for open gallery hours or call (989) 964-2291.  The University Art Gallery is located in the Arbury Fine Arts Center on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, svsu.edu/visit/campusmaps.

Lecture and Exhibition photos by: Malory Kochanny