Today is the last day to see a Native American art exhibit being shown in the U.S. for the first time.
The exhibition, “Most Serene Republics,” is part of Art Bash, a UF’s School of Art and Art History annual celebration. It will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Fine Arts Complex.
Edgar Heap of Birds, an artist from the Cheyenne tribe, has displayed his contemporary native art at the University Gallery since Oct. 5, said Wes Kline, chair of the 2010 Art Bash committee.
“Most Serene Republics” was exhibited in 2007 at the Venice Biennale, which is the world’s oldest international venue for contemporary art.
Heap of Birds helped install the show and put it together, said Natalia Silva, a graduate assistant. To create an outdoor environment, trees were brought into the gallery.
The show portrays how particular nations have treated Native American people from an activist perspective, Kline said.
Art Bash is free, and local bands will rotate performances every half-hour.
Students from the Workshop for Art Research and Practice will be exhibiting large animal-like inflatable sculptures in the Fine Arts Complex courtyards, Kline said. Alagarto Printmakers Guild, a student organization, will demonstrate how to make lithographs.
According to Rodolfo Rodriguez, a graphic design senior, the event will exhibit works from UF students in the departments of graphic design, printmaking, digital media, photography, drawing, painting, ceramics and sculpture.
Vox Graphis, a graphic design club at UF, will sell posters, holiday cards and T-shirts, Rodriguez said. Proceeds will go toward the club account for its “Ligature 20” spring event.
The ceramics student organization H.O.T. (Handbuilt or Thrown) Clay will also have a sale.
Jorge Perez, a graphic design graduate student, will run a campaign with fellow classmates to bring awareness to the local community. They’ll have a photo booth in Fine Arts C, Room 310, and pictures will be taken of attendees, who will be asked to share what they do on a daily basis.
The goal is to create a database that resembles communities where neighbors know one another.
Participants will be able to access the database through Facebook where the pictures will be displayed.
Last year about 600 people participated in demonstrations, exhibitions and interactive projects at Art Bash.
“Every year is a fresh show,” Kline said.
