Barbara Madsen, Associate Professor in Mason Gross School of Art + Design Print presented a lecture in the virtual Visiting Artist series tonight in Zom.
Madsen present works that showed her undeniable affinity for color, particularly orange. The artist even shared the origin of the color orange's place in her practice: when cautionary street wayfinding changed from red to orange, Madsen changed her whole color set. Madsen's relationship to public signage wasn't limited to in-studio responses. She once designed a series of anti-hate billboards (image at bottom) with her personal email address. The responses ranged from the grateful to haters who missed the point.
Image description: Barbara Madsen, Further Removed 1725, 42 x 56 inches ©2013 (from barbaramadsen.net)
Barbara Madsen is an artist and Associate Professor at Mason Gross School of the Arts. Madsen is known for her work in photography, print, sculpture, and installation. Her vast collections of industrial matter -- spark plugs, machine parts, welding masks, light switches, rubber, plastic, and photographs from daily observations – serve as the stimulus for her work in print, sculpture, video and installation. Her art employs the tropes of modernism, popular culture and objects that are consumed and discarded creating a mythical narrative using devices that may be sinister, creepy, nostalgic and blithely campy. Color is the sirens song that lures the viewer in.
Her solo exhibitions include the New York Public Library, Pratt Institute, Tyler School of Art, Millersville University, St. Lawrence University, Miami University, University of Delaware, Palacky University-CZ, Graficki Collective-Serbia, Scuolal Internazionale di Grafica-Venice, ULUS Gallery-Serbia, Edinburgh Print Gallery- Scotland.
Above headshot of Barbara Madsen and text below, courtesy Mason Gross Department of Art + Design.
Madsen has had over 100 group exhibitions in: Japan, China, Belgium, France, Spain, Serbia, Germany, Poland, India, United Arab Emirates. Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington DC, the New York Public Library, the Lowry Lab Theater in Minneapolis, the International Print Center, New York.
Madsen's works are in the collections of: The Legion of Honor, San Francisco Museum of Art; Firestone Library, Princeton University; Swarthmore College, Lafayette College, New York Public Library; Library of Congress; Dartmouth College; University of Sharijah, United Arab Emirates; Guanlan Art Center, Shenzhen, China, and the Amoco Corporation.
Image and text below from University of Tennessee, Knoxville: Barbara Madsen, "Revenge Never Ends," web.utk.edu.
Artist statement on “Poetic Terrorism: Billboards Against Intolerance”
Through my public billboards and banners I seek to address several social issues: the lack of understanding and empathy for people of differing races and beliefs, and seek to combat hatred and intolerance that is being taught within countries and communities. My billboards also question the greed of companies at the expense of the environment. In this paper I will talk about the five public works that I have done since September 11th, 2001, Including works from Newark: “Revenge Never Ends,” with a set of dominoes falling down; the Jersey City billboard “Eye 4 Eye = Blind,” featured one blue eye and one brown eye staring down questioning the logic of retaliation. Madsen did 3 works in the spring of 2005 in Washington DC. “OH!” is an image of a gas mask and smiling face with it’s mouth open wide. The second banner “Fear and Paranoia Win,” utilizes images of a mask, flying objects, and text. The third banner “ Who Decides Our Future?” features a black daisy and gas pipes. Madsen will also introduce new and upcoming billboard projects.
