Tuesday, August 18, 2015

UIS Visual Arts Gallery presents "Let the Words Fall Out" by Springfield artist Brytton Bjorngaard

The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery will present Let the Words Fall Out, an interactive installation from Brytton Bjorngaard, UIS assistant professor of visual arts and Springfield graphic designer and artist.

The exhibit will open on Monday, August 24 and run through Thursday, September 17. A reception for the exhibit will take place on Thursday, September 3, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Let the Word Fall Out strives to counter the highly controlled depictions of our opinions and emotion that unfold through the use of digital communication today, such as texting, Facebook, Instagram, and beyond. Through these means, individuals often present a picture not as it truly exists --- but rather, as an expression of idealized, controlled, and polished identity. Through her installation, Bjorngaard considers the question: “How much of our communication is honest?”

Of the text-based designs that comprise her installation, Bjorngaard says, “The goal is not to be offensive, funny, or judgmental, although the work may function in those capacities. The goal is to speak openly.”

Bjorngaard was born in Minnesota and has spent her life as a rolling stone, living in Oregon, Minnesota, Spain, Italy, Iowa, Washington, and Illinois. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Iowa State University and her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. She previously held faculty positions at Whitworth University and Iowa State University.

In addition to teaching, she is a freelance graphic designer, a member of DEMO Project, an artist-run contemporary and alternative project gallery in Springfield, and a board member at the Springfield Art Association.

The Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, Room 201. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at www.uis.edu/visualarts/gallery or contact the gallery at 217/206-6506 or alach@uis.edu.

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