Monday, March 20, 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Staller Center Recital Hall
Join the conversation as Stony Brook honors the legacy of Howardena Pindell, distinguished professor of art, who has taught at the university for 43 years. She will be joined by Athena LaTocha, an accomplished artist who received her MFA from Stony Brook in 2007. The talk will be moderated by Sohl Lee, associate professor of art history.
Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis will give a welcome address, and Mary Jo Bona, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, will present remarks. A reception will follow in the Zuccaire Gallery Lobby.
This event, part of the Women’s History Month celebration at Stony Brook, is co-hosted by the Department of Art and the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery in connection with the Zuccaire Gallery’s exhibition Revisiting 5+1. It is supported by the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and the Humanities Institute at Stony Brook.
This was a very good presentation. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Howerdina Pindall was just amazing. At 80, is in the MOMA, I had no idea. Also did not know that she was the only women in the exhibit in the Staller Art Gallery exhibit.
She discussed her piece and her future. She is apparently, though disabled, going to be a opening a studio in the Bronx with 5 assistants. It truly surprised me that one of our elders were in the MOMA.
As to Athena LaTocha, she had a rather astonishing story. She had grown up in rural Alaska, and had not even seen an art museum until she was in her sophomore year. It wasn’t clear if that was college or high school. I couldn’t see her work clearly in the slides, but it was a rather remarkable story. She described it as almost getting her MFA was more happenstance, than anything planned.
I only spent a brief time at the reception; even though I’ve been at thee University 25 years now, these are not really my circles. Still, I did have a glass of iced tea and drank in the artistic buzz of conversation. Before I headed back into the gallery, to study Howardena’s piece in the show more carefully. It was interesting, I was able to see a faint grid throughout the piece that had alluded me before. Also, in the lower left corner I saw something that looked like a necklace. There is always more to find in a good abstract piece.
I’m sure they recorded it, if this is one of your things, I would recommend seeking it out.
Thanks to the Artists and those that prepared the event!
John