Rodrigo Valenzuela in solo exhibition at Kutztown University’s Marlin and Regina Miller Gallery 11.6.19
KU Miller Gallery to open new show in November
By on
By Raven Shellman
Contributing Writer
On Nov. 21, the Marlin and Regina Miller Gallery will be opening its doors to artist Rodrigo Valenzuela, with a show curated by Professor Jayne Struble and presented by the Department of Art.
A native of Chile who immigrated to the United States and currently resides in Los Angeles, California, Valenzuela is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Art at UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture.The goal of his work is to “construct narratives, scenes and stories, which point to the tensions found between the individual and communities.”
The name of the exhibition is not on display, yet, but will be announced at a later date.
Valenzuela’s aesthetic of his work leads the viewer to see alienation and displacement. Using photographs and videos, he strives to make the images relatable and familiar but have something about them feel distant. He makes the viewer ask questions “concerning the ways in which the formation and experience of each work is situated, how they exist in and out of place.”
The exhibition will most likely feature a type of landscape with tableaux of people who are day workers or Valenzuela himself. He often explores how landscape is inhabited and how the people and objects in that certain place are translated into the image, often bringing a political aspect into the pieces he creates.
This political aspect works well with The Miller Gallery, as it states, “We strive to challenge assumptions and stimulate discussion by presenting artwork and programs relevant to the social and cultural life of the general and special populations within our service area.”
Valenzuela believes his works are an expression and intimate point that connects the broader areas of subjectivity and political contingency, which hopefully will add to the Miller Gallery’s statement of challenging assumptions and sparking discussion among students and professors.
The opening reception will take place on Nov. 21 from 4–6 p.m., with an appearance by the artist and many of the art faculty to officially open the exhibition.
The show will remain open until Feb. 9. Hours for the Miller Gallery are as follows: Tuesday though Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday-2 p.m.–4 p.m. The show will be closed over winter break and university holidays.
Click here for more information.