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February 13, 2007
Libraries Display Project Inspired by Artist Judy Chicago
University Park, PA — "At Home on Tour," an exhibit, explores the theme of domestic space and considers societal problems through artistic intervention in rooms in a home. It looks at what it means to be at home for women, men, and children; historic changes in the home; marital conflicts and compromises; childhood fears; aging; eating disorders; sibling rivalry; abuse; rape; prejudice of race, religion and gender; meditation in the home, and gender issues. A precise 1/12th scale miniature of Judy Chicago's and Donald Woodman's At Home in Kentucky project and a related video are on display in the Diversity Reading Room, 109 Pattee Library, March 22 to May 11, 2007.
The initial project, "At Home: A Kentucky Project with Judy Chicago and Donald Woodman," was guided by internationally famous artist Judy Chicago and her husband, award winning photographer Donald Woodman, in which 25 professional artists and students transformed a house on the campus of Western Kentucky University into an art exhibit. It was a collaborative project of that University's Women's Studies, Art Department, Folk Studies, and Anthropology Programs. Artist John Warren Oakes, professor of art at Western Kentucky University, built the four scale models of the house to document the installations in miniature with assistance by Andee Rudloff.
The exhibit supports classroom activities of Dr. Karen Keifer-Boyd, professor of art education in the School of Visual Arts. Kiefer-Boyd introduced the At Home investigations and themes to art education students to launch their research that will become integral to the content of video art, art installations, and an interactive collaborative artwork that the students will make to accompany the At Home on Tour exhibition.
A recent Fulbright scholar, Keifer-Boyd will incorporate Penn State student work as well as work by art students from Dr. Martina Paatela-Nieminen’s course, Intertextual House, at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, Finland, and from Professor Richard Kabiito, with his three colleagues—Sematimba Joseph, Dr. Vennie Nakazibwe and Ritah Nabuyungo, along with student work with the theme African House from the Department of Painting and Art History at Makerere University in Kampala in Uganda, Africa.
The exhibit space in the Libraries will be used for classroom meetings, discussions about the exhibit, and presentation of a critical review of the installation prepared by museum education majors. It will also include access to an evolving blog from the cross-cultural exchange during the exhibition concerning the concept “house.”
Henry Pisciotta, arts and architecture librarian for the University Libraries, has been working with Keifer-Boyd in preparation for this exhibit for more than two years. Keifer-Boyd’s involvement began in 2002, when her research on feminist art pedagogy involved interviews with Judy Chicago and participants who created the At Home room-size artworks in a house, as well as interviews with the two artists, John Oakes and Andee Rudloff, who created the At Home miniature replica house now on tour.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Keifer-Boyd with students involved in the project will provide two public presentations: “Intertextual House” on April 3 and “Judy Chicago’s Content-based Art Pedagogy” on April 17. Both presentations will take place in Foster Auditorium, 101 Pattee Library, from 1:00–2:00 p.m.
The exhibit and related activities are another way the University Libraries make information accessible to Penn State students and faculty.
For more information on feminist art pedagogy and a bibliography, go to: http://www.judychicago.com/pedagogy/ and about the project, go to: http://www.wku.edu/art/AHOT/pages/AHOTindex.html
For additional information, contact:
Catherine Grigor, manager of Public Relations and Marketing, University Libraries, cqg3@psu.edu, 814-863-4240.
Editor's Contact:
Catherine Grigor, 814-863-4240