May 01 Wednesday
This exhibition will feature several works made throughout the artist’s career as sort of a mid-career retrospective. Adam Parker Smith has a unique ability to address complex themes in a whimsical, light-hearted way that makes his work incredibly accessible.
Adam Parker Smith is a sculpture and installation artist. He attended the University of California at Santa Cruz (BA Painting, 2000), the Tyler School of Art at Temple University (MFA Painting, 2003), and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture (2008).
For his exhibition at SLOMA, San Luis Obispo-based artist Barry Goyette shows a series of portraits taken by a very specific mulberry tree as a site for portrait photography guided by the models, of varying stages of life. Attempting to reverse the traditional dynamics of power in portrait photographer, Goyette offers his camera in service to those he photographs, and they bring their own props, costumes, and stories – with the beloved mulberry tree as a key motif in all the images. Utilizing aging techniques in photography, Goyette seeks to activate slower ways of looking in the history of the medium.
The Ashcan School was an artistic movement known for portraying the grittiness and realism of early twentieth century New York City. In this lecture, we explore the maverick group of artists who worked in this style; including Robert Henri, John Sloan, Everett Shinn, George Bellows. Some used the dirty streets of the city as a backdrop to the portrayal of the working class, while others painted images of working class diversions such as nightclubs, circuses, boxing matches, and trips to the beach. These were not topics considered to be appropriate subjects for high art at the time, and for this reason the historian Holger Cahill coined the term “Ashcan School,” as a tongue-in-cheek reference to other schools of art. Our discussion includes the social-political backdrop in which these artists emerged and their populist views towards the art world.
Bio:Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures worldwide on art and architectural history, and leads art and architecture tours throughout the world. She has been named a Distinguished Instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She is also Professor Emeritus of Art and Architectural History at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. She has served as a Design Review Commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the John Lautner Foundation.
The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50+ years of age, seeking intellectual stimulation through university level courses (without the pressure of grades) for the sake of learning and social engagement.
As the world’s foremost forest ecologist, Suzanne Simard has reshaped the way we understand the life and growth of plants. In her groundbreaking work Finding the Mother Tree, Simard explained how trees interact and communicate using below-ground fungal networks. Her research established the existence of “mother trees” that play an important role in the flow of information and resources in a forest. The concepts she developed have influenced everyone from earth scientists to artists – think James Cameron’s Avatar and Richard Powers’ The Overstory. Join Simard for a dazzling journey through the unseen world going on above our heads and under our feet.
May 02 Thursday
Almost one-third of the world’s population views themselves as Christians. Approximately a quarter identify as Muslims. Fifteen percent practice Hinduism. Six percent practice Buddhism, and approximately a fifth of a percent practice Judaism. Together, these religions account for over three-quarters of the world; a huge majority of the earth’s population see themselves as religious. Nevertheless, all of these religions are incredibly different and produce divergent worldviews. By contrast, 15% of the world identifies as nonreligious.
This two-part lecture will focus on two of the earliest religions: Judaism and Hinduism. It is rare for these two religious to ever be mentioned together. Yet both began prior to the first millennia BCE. How were they similar at that time? How have they changed? In these lectures, we will examine each religion's origin, beliefs, and worldview and discuss how they differ from other religions.
Bio:Jason Hensley, PhD (Holocaust and Genocide Studies), Dmin (Biblical Studies), teaches religious studies at a private school in Los Angeles. He is a fellow of the Michael LaPrade Holocaust Education Institute of the Anti-Defamation League, a higher-education ambassador for the Council on Foreign Relations, and the award-winning author of 12 books. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post as well as the BBC, and he has served as the historical advisor for a Holocaust documentary.
May 03 Friday