The Night Gallery presents Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture Thesis Shows

Who
ASU School of Art Master of Fine Arts candidates in Sculpture, Damian Johnson, Nan Vaughn and Kris D. Waid-Jones present their thesis exhibitions, the culmination of several years of explorations in art.

What
Damian Johnson’s show, A Fowl Approach to Eschatology: Part I, is comprised of a collection of mixed media sculptures exploring iconography in a contemporary carnival setting.

“Sometime in the mid 1970’s I embarked on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and never got off,” says Johnson about his work.

In her thesis exhibition Gatherings, Nan Vaughn explores transitional states of being. Through a cross-disciplinary approach to sculpture using time-lapse photography, printmaking, video projection and the lost objects of Craigslist, she gathers a visual language of time, identity, beauty and significance.

“The romance of the lost and found weaves its way through Nan’s work, whether it is lost youth or lost and irreplaceable objects,” says Jim White, ASU School of Art sculpture professor and advisor to the Night Gallery. “Her observations connect the viewer to the work in a unique and personal way.”

The old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover” stands true with Kris Waid-Jones’ artwork. “Things are seldom what they initially appear to be. My Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition, On the Edge, is a collection of twisted familiarity," says Waid-Jones. "It is my hope that my exhibition will generate questions about reality, our understanding of history, our environment, our self-perception and how others perceive us.” Waid-Jones explores these ideas using a variety of sculptural materials.

The Night Gallery at the Tempe Marketplace is an exhibition space for ASU School of Art faculty, graduate students and alumni in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. The gallery is a result of a partnership between the Herberger Institute and Vestar Development Company. 

Where
The Night Gallery is located at the Tempe Marketplace, 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ. The gallery is on the west end and south side of “The District” between Barnes & Noble bookstore and Aeropostale.

When
Exhibition: April 7–May 1, 2011

Meet the Artists: April 8, 6–9 p.m.

Live Music by Robby Roberson: April 8, 7–9 p.m.

Dr. Roberson is Director of the ASU Life Sciences Electron Microscope Facility

Night Gallery hours: 6–9 p.m. Tuesday–Sunday

Cost
This exhibition and meet the artists event are free and open to the public.

Public Contact
James White
ASU School of Art professor
480.734.8064
James.white@asu.edu

The School of Art is a division of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University. Its printmaking, photography and art education programs are nationally ranked in the top 10, and its Master of Fine Arts program is ranked eighth among public institutions by U.S.News & World Report. The school includes four student galleries for solo and group shows by graduate and undergraduate art and photography students: Gallery 100, Harry Wood, Northlight and Step. To learn more about the School of Art, visit art.asu.edu.

Media Contact:
Michelle White 
ASU School of Art 
Night Gallery
480.734.8058
mjwhit10@asu.edu