As Far As I Know … Spring 2018 Art+Design BFA Exhibition at UT Scarfone/Hartley Gallery April 17–May 4

The University of Tampa’s Department of Art+Design and the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery will showcase more than 75 works by five graduating artists in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art program in As Far as I Know .... The exhibition runs from April 17–May 4, with a closing reception to celebrate the graduates on Friday, May 4, at 7 p.m.

Ranging from photo-realistic oil paintings to wall installations, from photographs to video performance, each artist offers a personal viewpoint on specific aspects of today’s reality. The exhibition will feature works by graduating UT seniors Alex Martin, Elise Gutekunst, Symone Hall, Sierra Kroeter and John Guarneri, and is curated by Francesca Bacci, associate professor of art+design.

The title, As Far as I Know … is purposefully left open, to allow each artist to complete it through their unique perspectives, inviting the visitors to ponder how:

… beauty can be revealed by photographs of everyday life, hiding in plain sight within the most overlooked details. Alex Martin presents 25 digital photographic prints in small and large scale, portraying abstract details from urban architecture and natural environments, affording the experience of visually lingering in commonly unacknowledged features.
… color-saturated abstract compositions have the power to rewrite the connotation of a place, expressing hope in hopeless contexts. Elise Gutekunst recreates the texture and feel of an urban brick wall featuring weathered street art, to create a striking contrast with large works characterized by the dreamy colors of her unusual abandoned scenery.
… I am here to testify that she was here, he was here, and now they are gone. Symone Hall offers 17 memorial portraits of victims of violence at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to challenge the societal ability to forget too quickly.
… society sexualizes the female body. Pairing nudity with food, we can question the difference and sense the fine line dividing sexuality from sensuality. Sierra Kroeter shows 10 photo-realistic paintings that use the luscious textures of food and skin as metaphors for the commodification and consumption of women’s bodies.
… paintings inspired by comic book imagery encourage human interaction by encapsulating irony, cynicism, humor and levity. Through a plethora of media and formats, John Guarneri elevates the value of individuals as superheroes, by drawing from the incongruous visual vocabulary of comic book iconography.

The gallery is located on campus in the R.K. Bailey Art Studios at 310 N. Blvd. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. There is no charge for admission.

For more information, contact Jocelyn Boigenzahn, gallery director, at jboigenzahn@ut.edu or (813) 253-6217.