Locust Technician: A FSU BFA & MFA Student Showcase- Art Reception

Venvi Art Gallery is delighted to exhibit "Locust Technician", a showcase of Florida State University (FSU)'s BFA and MFA student artwork.

By Venvi Art Gallery

Date and time

Friday, May 2 · 5 - 8pm EDT

Location

Venvi Art Gallery

2901 East Park Ave # 2800 Tallahassee, FL 32301

About this event

Event lasts 3 hours

Venvi Art Gallery is delighted to exhibit "Locust Technician", a showcase of Florida State University (FSU)'s BFA and MFA student artwork. It will be on display from April 4th to May 18th, with its art reception on May 2nd from 5-8pm.

This exhibition features the work of Florida State University students, whose artworks navigate themes of resilience, transformation, and shared humanity in the face of adversity. In “Locust Technician,” the artists take inspiration from the complex symbolism of locusts—creatures that straddle the delicate line between destruction and abundance, silence and cacophony, devastation and renewal.

The title, "Locust Technician", evokes a tension between the organic and the mechanical, suggesting the meticulous, almost surgical examination of life’s unexpected challenges. Locusts are reminders of cycles that challenge us to find meaning in their duality. Artists approach these challenges with the same thoughtful attention that transforms small studies into larger, more impactful works. Through interrogating how these small studies function, the artist shapes and layers insights and revisions into their larger creations. This exhibition invites viewers to reflect on how individual studies are part of the process that adapts and contributes to a process of continual refinement to become a finished work of art.

"Locust Technician" shares new perspectives, engaging deeply with issues of shared experience and personal introspection. The exhibition provides a space for reflection, transforming adversity into creativity and signaling the limitless potential for change. By interpreting the locust not merely as a harbinger of disaster but as a symbol of strength, multiplicity, and transformation, this exhibition challenges what we might see as adversity as a catalyst for growth.

"Locust Technician" will be on display from April 4th to May 18th, with its art reception on May 2nd from 5-8pm. Venvi Art Gallery is located at 2901 East Park Avenue Unit 2800 Tallahassee, FL 32301. To learn more about this exhibit, please visit our website at www.venviartgallery.com.

Tickets

General Admission
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FREE
General Admission
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FREE

Organized by

Venvi Art Gallery

Join us for the opening reception of "Deco Lyricism" a solo show by Dr. Selena Nawrocki! Meet the artist.

Enjoy art, live music by Hot Tamela. and refreshments.

This event is free and open to the public!

Press Release:

“Deco-Lyricism”

Venvi Art Gallery is pleased to present “Deco-Lyricism” by Dr. Selena Nawrocki. Utilizing her background in Interior Design, Dr. Nawrocki blends the boundaries between axonometric renderings and Fine Art in her first solo exhibition with Venvi. The resulting imagery takes the viewer through a winding path of mysterious journeys, vibrant colors, and a glimpse into the art deco aesthetics of the future.

Elements of architecture and interior design are at the forefront of visual components in Dr. Nawrocki’s work. Geometric curves, rectangles and squares, and elements of line and plane come together to create abstract room renderings. These angles and forms take a life of their own, and at times even expand past the limitations of the rendering itself. Many of her works consist of a single interior space broken up into a variety of shapes and mounted together with metal hinges, creating dynamic, geometric structures outside the bounds of the metaphorical canvas. The resulting art has a bas-relief sculptural quality, giving these 2-dimensional interiors a 3-dimensional display.

A recurring motif in “Deco-Lyricism” is the imagery of staircases. While the symbolism of a traditional staircase typically evokes feelings of hope and positivity in its ascent, or fearfulness and negativity in its descent, Dr. Nawrocki subverts this expectation by picturing spiraling, never-ending sets of stairs in her compositions. In doing so, these twisting paths represent a more convoluted, mysterious route to the viewer. While less direct in their design, these winding staircases still have a connective quality—whether pictured or implied—illustrating a more contemplative, and maybe even realistic, symbolic journey of unification.

Dr. Nawrocki blends numerous styles and inspirations in her mesmerizing compositions. Architecture—notably Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles, are of great interest to the artist. The use of modern materials such as metal, glass, and clear film act as a bridge between these two schools of design, melding into the signature abstract structures quintessential to her style. The glass tints overlaying her renderings aid in its futuristic design elements, casting colorful shadows against the walls, while folded hinges give each work their aforementioned sculptural quality. All of these elements culminate in “Deco-Lyricism.”

Dr. Nawrocki holds a B.F.A. from Mississippi University for Women, an M.F.A. from the University of Memphis, and a Ph.D. from Mississippi State University, in Interior Design/Art, Interior Design, and Technology Education respectively. She is currently a professor of Interior Design/Art at Valdosta State University, and is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC). Dr. Nawrocki's work has been featured in over 150 regional, national, and international exhibitions, and she has received 46 awards from her showings.

“Deco-Lyricism'' will be open from November 4th, 2022 to February 12th, 2023. The opening reception for this exhibition is November 4th, 5-8 pm, and will be accompanied by a performance from Hot Tamale: an acoustic duo made up of Adrian Fogelin and Craig Reeder. Hot Tamale has been entertaining Big Bend audiences for 14 years with their upbeat acoustic music covering a wide range of genres and musical tastes. Venvi Art Gallery is located at 2901 East Park Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301. For more information about the show please visit www.venviartgallery.com

What : “Deco-Lyricism” by Dr. Selena Nawrocki.

When: November 4th, 5-8 pm

Where: Venvi Art Gallery

2901 East Park Avenue,

Tallahassee, FL 32301.