UB Art Gallery to Host Exhibition of First-Year MFA Students

BUFFALO, N.Y. — "OCTET," an exhibition of artwork by first-year MFA students from the Department of Visual Studies at the University at Buffalo, will open on March 1 with a reception from 5-7 p.m. in the UB Art Gallery in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

UB Art Gallery, Center for the Arts, is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended hours on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For information, call 645-6912. The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, will be on view in the second floor gallery through March 10.

The 8 artists of "OCTET" examine contemporary issues from a fresh perspective using a variety of media.

Joel Brenden is a native of Washington State. The works presented here belong to a long-term series entitled "Enthusiast." The primary concern of "Enthusiast" is discovering and exploring the dynamic intersections of self-motivated creativity, communication, public interface and commerce.

Colleen Cunningham was born and raised in Warsaw, N.Y.  In 2003 she graduated with a bachelor's degree in photography from Pratt Institute, where she also received a Pratt Grant and Merit Scholarship.  She is interested in exposing both the disturbing and the humorous elements inherent in carefully constructed, yet unattainable, role models. 

Kevin Kline is a native of Sayre, Pa.; he obtained a bachelor of fine arts degree from Alfred University with concentrations in photography and digital media. His work concerns the perception of beauty, the observation of nature and our fetishized fascination with death.

Stella Marrs explores the intersections between toxic chemicals and daily life. She leaves a million postcard images behind her to learn new processes and to work in new mediums at UB.

Gerald Mead, a native of Buffalo, is a collage/assemblage artist and adjunct professor of design at Buffalo State College, where he graduated with bachelor's degrees in psychology and design. His artworks in this exhibition represent his current exploration with small-scale assemblages constructed of found objects and photographic images such as tourist slides of Niagara Falls.

Foad Mozaffari was born in Tehran, Iran, and received a bachelor of fine arts from San Francisco State University. He is currently working in the new media field at UB, where he explores the main cultural aspects of Iranian social and cultural identity.

Anne Muntges was born in Denver and raised in St. Louis.  She earned her undergraduate degree from the Kansas City Art Institute. Her work explores core values that are instilled in childhood through toys and games.

Jim Paulsen was born in Albany. His work deals with articulating the notion of experience as a cosmic plentitude that threatens to engulf human striving

The UB Art Gallery is funded by The Visual Arts Building Fund, The Seymour H. Knox Foundation Fine Arts Fund, and The Fine Arts Center Endowment.