JANUARY 19 – MARCH 23, 2018
RECEPTION JANUARY 19, 5-7PM, REMARKS AT 6:15PM

Join us Friday, January 19, 2018 from 5-7PM for the opening reception for WATER Puerto Rico……Flint a Human Right a solo exhibition featuring the work of Karen Hampton at the MSU Union Art Gallery. Opening Remarks will be offered at 6:15PM.

Artist Statement:
I am a conceptual mixed media artist, addressing issues of colorism and race in my works. I seek to break stereotypes and address issues related to my life. My artwork is steeped in oral history and expresses the narrative of those whose stories have not yet been fully told. As a storyteller, I impart conceptualized stories about the “other” in society. I view myself as a vehicle for ancestral stories to transcend history and remain part of the historical record. The canvas of my artwork is fabric, which I age and imbue with conceptualized images of a forgotten part of the American story. Using images and text, I embed the cloth with the hopes and visions of my ancestors, particularly those whose stories that have remained invisible. Whether woven or stitched, every time my weft crosses the warp or my needle pierces the cloth, I reach through another layer of scorched earth that slavery has left behind and work to reframe critical issues of race.

Karen Hampton is a Michigan State University, Artist-in-Residence: Critical Race Studies. Hampton joins us from Los Angeles, CA for the 2017-2018 academic year. Her exhibition is sponsored by the Department of Art, Art History, and Design along with the generous support of others including the College of Arts & Letters, Creating Excellence Funding Program from the Office for Inclusion & Intercultural Initiatives, Office of the Provost, and the MSU Federal Credit Union. Additionally she will be offering a public lecture about her work on January 30 at 6PM in 107 S. Kedzie Hall.