WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Feb. 13, 2018 — West Liberty University’s Nutting Gallery opens a new exhibition featuring three visiting Polish artists, Michalina Wawrzyczek-Klasik, Michał Klasik and Artur Masternak on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The exhibition is entitled: Directly and the opening reception takes place from 5:30 – 7 p.m.
The artists are first time visitors to WLU and the United States and spent six days in New York City prior to arriving on the hilltop campus.
“We are fascinated by this country and familiar with the United States from movies and media so we appreciate the opportunity to be here and exhibit our work,” said Masternak, who is a Ph.D. at the Katowice School of Technology, a technical and artistic private higher school in Silesia, which offers both bachelor and master degree programs.
Masternak teaches graphic art and painting. He and the other Polish artists were invited to exhibit their work by WLU Associate Professor of Art Martyna Matusiak when she was traveling in Poland with students for summer study abroad.
“It’s great to have Michalina, Michal and Artur here. We planned the exhibit for a long time, and I invite the whole campus community to visit our Nutting Gallery. This exhibition is worth a trip across campus to the Hall of Fine Arts,” said Matusiak, whose parents still reside in Katowice, which is the capital city of the Silesian province of Poland. Matusiak joined WLU in 2012.
The other two visiting artists, Michalina Wawrzyczek-Klasik and Michal Klasik are married. Michalina studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, earning a diploma in 2010. She uses painting, silkscreen printing, digital printing and video-painting for creating installations and objects. Working with monumental forms, she creates sign and space designs. (See michalinawklasik.com.)
Her husband, Michal teaches intermedial sculpture. He is a graduate of Silesian University, Art Institute in Cieszyn with Diploma of Fine Arts with a major in sculpture and second major in ceramics. (See michalklasik.blogspot.com.)
He uses sculpture, drawing, video and sound to create installations and objects that are interactive. He’s involved in a group project, “Academy sounds of the Earth” connecting sounds, sculpture and ceramics to the earth itself. He has participated in numerous exhibitions in Poland and abroad and is a member of the Polish Artists Society.
“In the context of our exhibition the perception of an image does not mean faster and easier. Our projects have a direct impact on the recipient with the wider picture (object). They appeal to the sensibility, imagination, the ability to use a variety of associations. Operating largely beyond words,” explains the artists in their formal artists’ statement.
Directly was curated by retired professor of art, Bob Villamagna, and will be on display through March 8. Hours are from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., weekdays or by appointment and all Nutting Gallery exhibitions are free and open to the public.
Located in the Hall of Fine Arts, the Nutting Gallery is dedicated to educating, enriching and engaging students and the public through art exhibitions of the highest quality and to promoting the visual arts within the WLU community.
For more information, please contact rvillama@westliberty.edu.