November 2, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Michael Barton Miller
Department of Art and Design
805-756-6069; mmiller@calpoly.edu

Jeff Van Kleeck
University Art Gallery Coordinator
805-756-1571

Thai Artists-in-Residence to Exhibit at Cal Poly Nov. 8-29

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Cal Poly and a university in Bangkok, Thailand, have been collaborating on an artist exchange over this past year, which will culminate in lectures, an opening reception, and an almost month-long exhibition at Cal Poly, from Nov. 8-29.

The exhibit, titled “PAC IV: Pacific Horizons,” features art by faculty members from Silpakorn University Art Centre in Bangkok and members of Cal Poly’s Department of Art and Design.  The exhibit will be in the University Art Gallery.

Artists work with a variety of media, including installation, photography, drawing, painting, mixed media, glass and sculpture. The themes range from environmental issues to ironies in hybrid culture to new formal challenges in a digital age, said Michael Miller, Cal Poly faculty and project curator.  

Three Thai artists-in-residence have been at work at Cal Poly since Oct. 30, assembling their art in organized workshops. The public is invited to meet the artists as they assemble their work. It can be exciting for the public to share the spontaneous atmosphere in the collaborative workshops, Miller said.

In addition to the exhibit, the public is invited to lectures and the opening reception. Activities include:

  •  Friday, Nov. 2, 5-6 p.m., University Art Gallery (Dexter Building), Room 227: A lecture on the artist exchange will be given by Sone Simatrang.. The discussion will be translated by Sasivimol Santiratpakdee. Cal Poly art Professors George Jercich and Michael Miller will discuss the projects created by the California artists. Question-and-answer session to follow.
  •  Thursday, Nov. 8, 5-6 p.m., University Art Gallery, Room 150:
    Lecture by Kamol Tassananchalee on his work. 

The three visiting professors are Simatrang, director of the Art Centre at Silpakorn University; Rodprohboon, art instructor in the Department of Applied Art Study in the Decorative Art Program at Silpakorn University; and Tassananchalee, who now lives in Chatsworth, Calif.

A similar cultural exchange program is taking place at San Jose State University, where Thai artists-in-residences are also at work through Nov. 7.  A concurrent exhibition is planned at the Natalie and James Thompson Gallery on the San Jose campus.

In addition, a cumulative exhibition, called “Thai/California Exchange,” will be on display at the Works Gallery in San Jose in December. This exhibition will feature works from all the artists who participated in the workshops in Bangkok, San Luis Obispo and San Jose.

For more information, contact Cal Poly Professor Michael Barton Miller, Department of Art and Design, 756-6069 or mmiller@calpoly.edu or Jeff Van Kleeck, University Art Gallery coordinator, at 756-1571 or jvanklee@calpoly.edu.

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