Fresh Masters: Recent MFA Work in Glass

UrbanGlass

January 23—March 9, 2019

Wednesday January 23, 6—8pm

Exhibiting artists: Evan Burnett, Ana Parisi, James Ronner, Kristina Ruman, and Heather Sutherland.

Curated by Ben Wright.

UrbanGlass presents our biennial review of recent MFA work in glass. Chosen from a deep and talented field of graduates from across North America, the exceptional contributions of Evan Burnette, Anna Parisi, James Ronner, Kristine Rumman, and Heather Sunderland stood out, exemplifying both the quality and diversity of aesthetic and conceptual concerns being tackled by artists across the contemporary art spectrum.

Hailing from very distinct graduate programs – Burnette from Ball State University, Muncie, ID, 2017; Parisi from Parsons School of Design, New York, NY, 2018; Ronner from Alfred University, Alfred, NY, 2017; Rumman from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 2018; and Sutherland from Wisconsin Madison University, Madison, WI, 2017 – these artists have adopted the mixed-media approach to expression common amongst today’s conceptual practitioners.

Their treatment and usage of glass, however, varies radically across technique and intent. From the immersive installations of Rumman and Ronner to the evocative sculptures of Parisi and Sunderland to the humorous surrealism of Burnette, this work tackles critical issues of race and gender as well as timeless inquiries into the relationship between individuals and the recombinant nature of culture and society.