Rueff Galleries exhibit Native American, international, student artists

Rueff Galleries, located in the Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts, 552 W. Wood St., are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Gallery exhibits are free and open to the public.

The traveling poster exhibit "Visual Power: 21st Century Native American Artists/Scholars" will be on display Oct. 30 through Nov. 10. in the West Gallery. The exhibit, which includes work by Purdue professor Phoebe Farris, explores the interconnections of Native American artistry and scholarship as expressed by 12 artists from diverse tribal backgrounds. Farris is a member of the Powhatan nation.

Primarily shown in embassies abroad, the exhibit is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The prints in the exhibit explore crucial aspects of Native American identity and foster discussion of important issues in art history and criticism. The artists represent diverse perspectives on the connections between political activism and the visual arts, art history and criticism, bridging cultural differences, and the Native American struggle for sovereignty.

An opening reception will be 5-7 p.m. on Nov. 1. Dwight Lewis, director of minority programs for Purdue's Graduate School, also was involved in bringing this exhibit to Purdue. Lewis also is an organizer of the Sloan Conference for Minority Ph.D. and Feeder Programs. This exhibit is one of the events for the conference taking place Nov. 1 – 3.

The other West Gallery exhibit in October runs Oct. 23-27. “Future Art Educators: Following Our Lead” is an exhibition of multi-media work created by Purdue art education students and organized by Purdue Student National Art Education Association members. An opening reception will be 6 p.m. on Oct. 23.

The other visiting exhibit is "INKLANDIA: An International Print Exhibition" which runs Oct. 30 through Nov. 10. This exhibit celebrates Inklandia, a real or imagined utopian society of artists who freely and peacefully exchange art, ideas and information. Original fine art prints by artists from Finland, Serbia, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, Greece, Turkey, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Canada, India, Thailand, Belgium, Poland, Ukraine, Republic of Macedonia, South Africa, Italy, the United States of America and other countries will be shown.

"INKLANDIA" is organized and curated by Kathryn J. Reeves, professor of art, and her work is also included in the "Pocahontas" international portfolio.

Included in the exhibition is a special international portfolio of prints, "Pocahontas Meets Hello Kitty," organized by Navajo artist Melanie Yazzi.

The other East Gallery exhibit is "Photoworks '06," an exhibition of recent work by graduate and advanced digital imaging students from the photography and related media area of the Division of Art and Design. This show runs Oct. 16-27.

Sources: Lindi Kistler, (765) 496-2958, lkistler@purdue.edu

Phoebe Farris, (765) 494-3059, phoebe@purdue.edu

Kathryn Reeves, professor of visual and performing arts, (765) 494-6099, kreeves@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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