Gail Kendall's 'Purpose of Labor' opens Aug. 26 at Sheldon Museum of Art
Lincoln, Neb., August 11, 2008 -- Gail Kendall, Hixson-Lied professor of art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will present new ceramic artworks in "The Purpose of Labor," opening Aug. 26 at UNL's Sheldon Museum of Art. Works in the exhibition respond to Robert Bly's translation of "The Kabir Book," ecstatic poems by the Islamic Sufi poet Kabir.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Lincoln, Neb., August 11, 2008 -- Gail Kendall, Hixson-Lied professor of art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will present new ceramic artworks in "The Purpose of Labor," opening Aug. 26 at UNL's Sheldon Museum of Art. Works in the exhibition respond to Robert Bly's translation of "The Kabir Book," ecstatic poems by the Islamic Sufi poet Kabir.
"I have been drawn to the imagery in many of these poems since I learned about them in the mid-1980s and felt this exhibition would provide me with a wonderful opportunity to create a group of works around a theme," Kendall said. "This theme is allowing me to expand on recent work as well as consider a series of new vessels."
The large chargers in the exhibition represent a new direction in embellishment in Kendall's work. In a gallery guide to the exhibition, Robert Silberman, an associate professor of art history at the University of Minnesota, writes, "Just as Wayne Thiebaud uses paint to create delectable images of cakes and ice cream, Kendall can make glaze and clay look downright tasty, as in the serpentine ribbons of color that encircle her tureens and platters."
Kendall will speak at Sheldon about her artwork in two gallery talks that will cover different topics. The first talk is 5:30 p.m. Sept. 16. The second, part of the Sheldon's First Friday Reception, is 5:30 p.m. Oct. 3. "The Purpose of Labor" runs through Dec. 7.
Active in the arts in Lincoln since she came to UNL in 1987, Kendall helped establish one of the country's premiere ceramics programs at UNL.
She also has created a distinguished and distinctive body of ceramic artworks. She has exhibited colorful tureens, chargers and dishes, embellished with rich colors and delightful forms in venues from Brisbane, Australia, to Worcester, Mass.
Kendall's work has been recognized by research fellowships awarded by UNL, prizes and purchase awards in national exhibitions, three Nebraska Arts Council fellowships, and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research Council and the Layman Foundation at UNL have supported Kendall's studio work for the exhibition. "The Purpose of Labor" at Sheldon is supported by the Nebraska Arts Council and the Sheldon Art Association.
Sheldon Museum of Art houses a permanent collection of more than 12,000 objects focusing on American art. The museum, 12th and R streets on the UNL City Campus, is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For information or to arrange a tour, call ( 402 ) 472-2461. Additional information is also available on the Sheldon Web site, www.sheldon.unl.edu.
CONTACT: Tom White, Public Relations Manager, Sheldon Museum of Art, phone: ( 402 ) 472-1197
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