Artist Talk: María Magdalena Campos-Pons

April 8, 2015 by umfablog

Friday, April 10 | FREE Preview of Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art | 4 pm Artist Talk | 5 pm By Whitney Tassie | Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Born in Matanzas, Cuba in 1959, María Magdalena Campos-Pons relocated to the United States when she was 27. Her work is influenced by her African and Latin heritage. She is part of the African diaspora, a term that refers to communities throughout the world that are descended from the […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: American art, contemporary art, latino art, smithsonian, umfa

3-D Printing + Indigenous Artwork = Salt?

February 25, 2015 by umfablog

You might remember us hinting at the future use of a 3-D printer a while back… Well, after almost 200 hours of scan, print and build time, we’re ready to show you the results! Contemporary artist Duane Linklater collaborated with the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library using the library’s new 3-D printing equipment for his new exhibition opening this week at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. The Ontario-based artist, an Omaskêko Cree from Moose Cree First Nation, is the eleventh artist in […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: 3d printing, contemporary art, library, salt series, U of U, umfa

They arrived yesterday, dusty and weary from the journey, but in good spirits.

October 9, 2014 by umfablog

Things are quieting down at the Museum after a whirlwind of installation, openings, parties and free food over the past few weeks… And all this excitement has been centered around one man—Tony Feher—and his incredible site-determined installation that will grace our G. W. Anderson Family Great Hall for the upcoming year. I’ll give you a little background about Tony and his artwork first, and then I’ll catch you up on all the craziness that has been the UMFA since mid-September. Tony […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: contemporary art, museum, tony feher, U of U, umfa

TONIGHT: Angel Azul: Creativity in Focus, Co-Presented by The Utah Film Center

February 26, 2014 by umfablog

Artists and art lovers alike are often asked some variation of the question: What is the role of art in our lives? And while it may escape a definitive answer, it’s fascinating to see artists whose work seems to be–just by nature of its existence– answering this very question in new and exciting ways. The film Angel Azul (screening TONIGHT at the UMFA) explores the artistic journey of Jason deCaires Taylor, an innovative artist who works with underwater sculpture. His work […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: art, community, contemporary art, environment, events, film, film series, free, living artist, sculpture, sustainability, University of Utah

salt 9: Jillian Mayer

January 14, 2014 by umfablog

The art of Jillian Mayer reflects a generation that came of age in the 1980s. Mayer uses  drawing, photography, video, online platforms, installation, and performance, and was one of the earliest artists to truly use the internet as a medium.  And the UMFA is lucky enough to have her as our next salt artist! The above photo is taken from a still from one of Mayer’s works entitled “Mega Mega Upload.” Watch it here: Writes Whitney Tassie, Curator of Contemporary […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: community, contemporary art, contemporary art exhibition, events, exhibition installation, exhibitions, installation, salt, salt series, University of Utah, video

This Friday at the UMFA: FoCA Event

October 30, 2013 by umfablog

Utah Museum of Fine Arts presents the Annual Friends of Contemporary Art Acquisition Dinner this Friday, November 1, at 6:00pm. This is a chance for FoCA members to mingle with fellow contemporary art enthusiasts, and to cast a vote for this year’s addition to the UMFA’s permanent collection. The Friends of Contemporary Art are dedicated to supporting modern and contemporary art at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, while cultivating and encouraging the efforts of private art collectors. In return, FoCA […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: benefits of museums, community, contemporary art, events, exhibitions, FoCA, Friends of Contemporary Art, transparency

Museum Myth Monday: I Must Be Looking At It Wrong

April 22, 2013 by umfablog

According to Jack Donaghy, the fictional CEO on the now-syndicated NBC show 30 Rock, the only three appropriate subjects for a painting are 1) horses, 2) ships with sails, and 3) men staring off into the distance while holding swords. The joke, of course, is that these are common, safe subjects that are likely to be free of surprises and challenges. In many ways, it’s what we began with, from our earliest paintings on cave walls that featured horses, to our […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: 30 Rock on art, Annie Burbidge-Ream, art, benefits of museums, contemporary art, Jack Donaghy, Jack Donaghy on art, modern art, museum, museum job, museum myth monday, myths in the museum, painting, umfa, UMFA staff, University of Utah, uofu, utenation, Viewing art, Whitney Tassie