Saar’s retrospective exhibit will examine “body as the place of identity”

MEDIA: Download images here.

Media who would like to schedule interviews and photo/video opportunities should contact Kris Muller at kris.muller@unt.edu or 281-704-7739.

What:

• Mirror Mirror: The Prints of Alison Saar, from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation
• Alison Saar Keynote Lecture Southern Graphic Council International 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award

When:

• Exhibition Opening Reception, March 8 (Friday), 5-7 pm
• Artist’s Lecture, March 8 (Friday), 3:30-4:30 pm

Where:

• Exhibition Opening Reception, UNT Art Gallery and College of Visual Arts and Design Courtyard, 1201 W. Mulberry St., Room 160 in Denton
• Artist’s Lecture, University Union, 1155 Union Circle, Denton

Cost: Free and open to the public

Parking: Hourly parking available at the Union Circle Garage, 1155 Union Circle, Denton. The Union Circle Garage is a credit card only garage. No cash is accepted.

Background: Internationally acclaimed sculptor, Alison Saar, whose work explores her own poignant story of personal and cultural identity, is the featured artist at the UNT Art Gallery’s inaugural exhibition “Mirror Mirror: The Prints of Alison Saar From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation.” Saar will also work with College of Visual Arts and Design Department of Studio Art graduate students and deliver the keynote lecture for the Southern Graphic Council International Conference that is honoring Saar with its 2019 SGCI Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Mirror Mirror” reflects the vast body of prints created by Alison Saar over the past 35 years. Addressing issues of race, gender and spirituality, Saar’s lithograph, etching and woodblock prints are evocations of her sculptures, for which she is renowned. Saar’s sculptures often depict powerful figures, carved from wood or cast in bronze, that are embellished with found objects.

“Alison Saar’s art is breathtaking and captivating, and she captures the anguish of many in society who deal with the reality of inequality,” comments Jordan D. Schnitzer. “She is a master at using different materials to reinforce her themes. Once seen – never forgotten. We are honored to have helped organize this exhibition so that many can experience Alison Saar’s extraordinary art!”

Saar also uses unconventional materials and methods in printmaking. Cast off objects like old chair backs and found ceiling tin become the foundations for etching or lithography plates, and carving techniques in woodblock prints echo those she uses to carve her wooden sculptures. In addition to printing on paper, Saar employs a variety of used fabrics like vintage handkerchiefs, old shop rags and antique sugar sacks that are layered, cut, sewn and collaged. In the subjects and materials of both sculptures and prints, as famed art critic Lucy Lippard has observed, Alison Saar pursues the extraordinary concealed in the ordinary.

“Mirror Mirror: The Prints of Alison Saar From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation” exhibition will be open to public March 8-May 11, 2019 at the UNT Art Gallery. The exhibit is made possible through the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, the Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series, and the College of Visual Arts and Design.

The UNT Art Gallery inaugural exhibition coincides with the Southern Graphics Council International Conference, March 6-9, highlighting original prints, drawings, books, and handmade paper. The conference will offer lively demonstrations, experiences, product vendors, lectures, and exhibitions focused on print practices. Featured solo exhibitions include the transformative works of Alison Saar, Judy Youngblood, Jurgen Strunck and Gfeller + Hellsgård. Other honorees include Tally Dunn, owner/director of Tally Dunn Gallery; the late Sam Coronado, founder of Serie Project; Katherine Brimberry, co-founder of Flatbed Press; and Katherine Wagner, CEO of the Business Council for the Arts. For a full list of event times and venues visit http://sgci2019.org/

About the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation
At age 14, Jordan D. Schnitzer bought his first work of art from his mother’s Portland, Oregon contemporary art gallery, evolving into a lifelong avocation as collector. He began collecting contemporary prints and multiples in earnest in 1988. Today, the collection exceeds 13,000 works and includes many of today’s most important contemporary artists. It has grown to be one of the country’s largest private print collections. He generously lends work from his collection to qualified institutions. The Foundation has organized over 110 exhibitions and has had art exhibited at over 150 museums. Mr. Schnitzer is also President of Harsch Investment Properties, a privately owned real estate investment company based in Portland, Oregon, owning and managing office, multi-tenant industrial, multi-family and retail properties in six western states. For more information about the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, please visit jordanschnitzer.org.

About Southern Graphics Council International

Southern Graphics Council International (SGCI) is an educational non-profit organization representing artists of original prints, drawings, books and handmade paper. SGCI has more than 1,500 professional and student members focused on the understanding of the role of printmaking in art and society. The organization’s annual conferences offer its members and community the opportunity to discover new ideas and places while exchanging ideas and innovations.