Wednesday, January 26, 2011

UCM Gallery of Art & Design Opens Three New Exhibitions


The University of Central Missouri’s Gallery of Art and Design will host three upcoming exhibits opening Jan.13 in all three of the gallery’s exhibit areas.
“Whoop Dee Doo’s Underwater Icy Freezing Cold Watery Extravaganza!!!” presents an underwater wonderland for kids of all ages in the Main Gallery. The exhibit precedes the upcoming Performing Arts Series presentation of “Whoop Dee Doo!” the interactive performance art presentation planned for Feb. 5 in the Art Center Gallery.
“Whoop Dee Doo!” is a kid-friendly faux public access television show featuring pre-planned performances accompanied by live audience participation. The gallery exhibit, “Whoop Dee Doo’s Underwater Icy Freezing Cold Watery Extravaganza!!!” gives kids a preview of the of the Feb. 5 event by allowing them to submerge themselves in an exhibit of seaweed, snorkels, manatees, mermaids, inner tubes, faucets, slip-n-slides, whales and all things nautical. Composed of various viewing rooms, the exhibit will present videos of past “Whoop Dee Doo!” productions. The exhibit is available through Feb. 18
Opening in the Outer Gallery is “Next Stop,” and exhibit of new work by artist and illustrator Mark Bischel. The charcoal drawings focus on the internal dialogue of our lives played out against the dialogue of the city. A graduate of UCM, Bischel resides in New York City, where he recently completed a Master of Fine Arts degree at the School of the Visual Arts. He has lectured at the Kansas City Art Institute, the Maryland Institute, College of Art, and currently teaches drawing at the School of the Visual Arts.
Bischel will present a lecture on his work at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, in the Outer Gallery. The exhibit is available through Feb. 18.
 “Where It’s At,” an exhibit of new work by Phil “Sike Style” Shafer, curated by UCM art history major Justine Harris, opens in Gallery 115. Brooklyn-born, Shafer launched his career in the medium of photography while a high school student in Kansas City, Mo., He attended the Kansas City Art Institute, majoring in photography and digital media. Upon graduation, he accepted a job as a graphic designer, and his success in designing and selling t-shirts for Kansas City area hip-hop artists eventually led to the launch of his own clothing line, Sikenomics, with designs reflecting his fine arts background. Instead of a collection of works hanging in a gallery, Shafer opts for a cotton-blend canvas with a hole for the neck and two sleeves.
A special performance and party by Shafer and Friends is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, in Gallery 115. The exhibit is available through Feb. 11.


The UCM Gallery of Art and Design is open to the public, free of charge, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Groups are welcome. To learn more about the UCM Gallery of Art and Design, including upcoming exhibits, contact the gallery staff at 660-543-4498.