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BEMIS EXHIBITION TO FEATURE WORKS BY ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE ALUMNI
 
July 10, 2015, Omaha, NE — Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts presents #BemisPainters, 1982–2015, an exhibition that celebrates nearly 35 years of paintings by artists-in-residence. This exhibition is on view July 16–October 10, with an opening reception on July 16, 6pm–8pm, at the Old Market location.

Bemis Center was established in 1981 by artists for artists, and has since the beginning been devoted to supporting the creative impulse and advocating for experimentation beyond the expectations of any discipline. Richard C. Cox, visual artist and one of the show’s featured alumni, says his Bemis residency “provided a dedicated and uninterrupted period of intensive study resulting in an important step forward in the development of my work.” The #BemisPainters, 1982–2015 exhibition will reveal—through an installation of more than thirty works of art—that painting by Bemis artists-in-residence is an ever-changing genre that eludes definition.

These painters offer contemporary points of view by, for example, incorporating other disciplines and traditions into their painting. Disparate influences and responses travel across periods in time and can be seen in the diversity of content and materials in painting, such as in the use of wallpaper by Hyun Soo Choi and embroidery thread on canvas by Amanda Valdez, and other surface applications of paint.

The title of the exhibition references hashtagging, a form of online metadata used to assign content to specific themes. In this exhibition, the hashtag describes various motifs, themes, and painterly considerations that form a constellation of inspiration and ideas highlighting painting’s formal and conceptual possibilities. Artistic Director for Residency Programs Ellina Kevorkian says, “The allusion to Internet categorization and the Web’s limitless access to art research speaks to Bemis Center’s own expansive and systematized archive, where descriptive meta tags attempt to categorize and address painting’s vast pluralism.”

Artists include: Samantha Bittman, Helen Brough, Richard C. Cox, Marc Dennis, Hamlett Dobbins, Echo Eggebrecht, Sarah Gamble, James Homberg, Bob Koons, Alex Lukas, Ben Murray, Christina Narwicz, Pierre Obando, Jeremy Olson, Allison Renshaw, Steve Reynolds, Eric von Robertson, Leslie Shows, Hyun Soo Choi, John Sparagana, Aaron Storck, Mary Ann Strandell, Amanda Valdez, Quynh Vantu, Joan Waltemath, and Lambert Wintersberger.

Exhibition visitors are invited to share photos via social media of their favorite paintings using the hashtags #bemiscenter and #bemisalumni.

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Sarah Rowe: Vertical Disintegration

July 10 - August 08, 2015
Opening Reception: Friday, July 17, 6pm - 8pm
Carver Bank

In this site-specific, interactive installation Lakota artist Sarah Rowe explores the role of industry in environmental destruction and class divisions. To conclude the exhibition, Rowe will lead a ritual burning of specific materials.

About the Artist
Sarah Rowe confronts issues of self-identity and exploitation, and reimagines traditional Native American symbology and dream imagery. Drawing from storybooks and historical texts such as winter counts, Rowe projects on them her own vision with a sense of playfulness and a hint of sarcasm. Her work challenges societal misconceptions and opens a dialogue about our role as one human family born from a long line of experiences. She emphasizes the importance of moving forward together with grace and a sense of humor, while having respect for and understanding of our past. 
 
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About Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts

The mission of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts is to provide residency opportunities to artists from around the world, so that they may develop new ideas, expand their practice and engage the community.

Bemis Center has been recognized as one of the "Top 10 residencies around the globe" by ArtInfo, and Jane Alexander, the former head of the National Endowment for the Arts, has called the Bemis Center "one of the great treasures of its kind in the country."

Bemis Facilities
Old Market, 724 S. 12th Street, Omaha, NE 68102
Carver Bank, 2416 Lake Street, Omaha, NE, 68111

Bemis Online
Website: http://www.bemiscenter.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bemiscenter
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bemiscenter
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/bemiscenter