Mississippi State University Associate Professor of sculpture Critz Campbell of West Point presents a body of new work in Facing South, an exhibit opening Friday, Aug. 15 at the Cullis Wade Depot/MSU Welcome Center gallery on the university campus. A public reception will be Thursday, Aug. 28 in the gallery from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
In Facing South, Campbell employs low-relief marquetry techniques to create large, dynamic works that explore ideas of southern gothic landscape, literature and life experience. These latest pieces were created during his 2014 sabbatical residencies in North Carolina and Illinois.
“I spent my time in both residencies creating the work … and reminding my body what it means to work in a studio all day every day. It was quite a gift,” said Campbell, who previously taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
The current work is inspired by Dutch and American landscape paintings Campbell saw at the national gallery in Washington, D.C., two years ago. Using different wood veneers to create his images “satisfied the craftsman in me and allowed for more narrative and metaphor to be present in the work,” the noted studio art furniture designer said.
After graduating from SAIC, Campbell studied at the Arco Centro de Communicao Visual in Lisbon, Portugal, the Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina, and Parnham College in the United Kingdom.
The Cullis Wade Depot Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 6.
The Department of Art Galleries presents museum shows, traveling exhibits, student shows, group and solo exhibitions by professional artists and special events. For more information about this exhibit, visit caad.msstate.edu/art/home.php or call 662-325-2970.
For more about the artist, go to critzcampbell.com
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