A familiar Grand Rapids artist; a famous Mexican printmaker and engraver who lived and worked during Mexico’s social and political upheaval; and a beloved Michigan artist all have works that are being featured in Grand Valley State University galleries.
For more information about Grand Valley State University art exhibits, call 616-331-2563 or visit gvsu.edu/artgallery.
“José Guadalupe Posada: Calavera Prints from the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet”
Kirkhof Center Gallery, Allendale Campus
Exhibition Dates: Through Oct. 25
José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) was a printmaker and engraver, who lived and worked in a period of Mexican history characterized by social and political upheaval. In 1888, he moved to Mexico City, where he quickly established himself and created some of his most important work. Posada illustrated historic scenes, board games and commercial items, religious images, various books and newspapers. He is most famous for his use of calaveras (depictions of skulls and skeletons) to satirize and mock the corruption of the wealthy and political elite. “La Calavera Catrina,” his most iconic image, was created in 1910 at the start of the Mexican Revolution. The image shows a grinning skeleton wearing a women’s feathered hat, pointing out that death comes to everyone, even those in the upper class. This exhibition includes 20 reproductions of his prints, from the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet. The prints were purchased in 2002 from the family of Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, who printed them using the original plates and press.
“Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy”
Exhibition Dates: Ongoing
George and Barbara Gordon Gallery
DeVos Center, Building E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Gordon Gallery hours: Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends
The German-born American artist Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) is often referred to as the dean of Michigan painters. Working in a traditional representational style, Alten incorporated the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in paintings infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over a more than 40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals. Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection of Alten’s work in the world.
“Wandering Seeds: Experiencing and Engaging Haiti Through Study Abroad”
Blue Wall Gallery
DeVos Center, Building B, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Exhibition Dates: Through Dec. 13
In 2018, a dozen GVSU students and three faculty members traveled to Haiti as part of a study abroad program. The course, led by Peter Wampler, associate professor of geology, was designed to provide students from various backgrounds the opportunity to experience Haitian culture and gain an understanding of daily life in rural Haiti. In addition, students participated in a variety of service-learning and community-based teaching experiences, allowing them to contribute their energy toward real-world problems in Haiti. Included in this exhibition are narratives and reflections by both the faculty and students who participated in the trip. Additionally, a number of photographs document their encounters, and a variety of original Haitian works of art attest to the vibrant and diverse artistic culture in the country.
“Carnivals, Cognac and Cycling: Works of Art from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints”
Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall, Allendale Campus
Exhibition Dates: Through Dec. 13
During the period spanning the turn of the century, Paris, one of the most vibrant cities in the world, experienced an explosion in print media. Now-familiar artists, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonnard, and others, made names for themselves producing items such as posters, journal illustrations, theater programs and advertisements. Drawn from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints in the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet, “Carnivals, Cognac and Cycling” provides a view into the visual culture of late 19th century France. In 2019, 14 GVSU students conducted research for this exhibition for the course Modern Art and Modernity. Each student focused on one work of art for in-depth study, produced original research and presented findings to classmates and now to a wider audience.
Mark W. Wilkens, 1955-2017
“A Life in Paint”
West Wall Gallery, Eberhard Center
Exhibition Dates: Through Oct. 25
Born in America’s heartland, Mark Wilkens’ passion for nature and the environment blossomed in the sun-drenched countryside of the Iowan farmlands. Wilkens traveled often after his schooling in Iowa, Arizona and South Dakota, using the opportunity to visit museums and learn about different cultures. In 1990, after a number of years painting independently and working in graphics and illustration, Wilkens moved to Michigan, which would serve as his creative home for nearly 27 years before his death on March 17, 2017. This exhibition includes 25 works of art from the last three decades of his career, including a variety of watercolors and oils. It honors a passionate artist, whose commitment to paint was evident throughout his life.
GVSU DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL AND MEDIA ARTS FACULTY EXHIBITION
“Endless Possibilities”
Exhibition dates: Through Oct. 27
NOMAD Gallery by Richard App
74 Monroe Center St. NW, Grand Rapids
Hours: Noon-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays
This unified show will showcase the media in which faculty members work. The exhibition will showcase works across animation, ceramics, digital art, film, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, textiles, video art and more. Special performances, artist talks and workshops will also be offered in conjunction with the exhibition. Visit gvsu.edu/vma for more information.
