Guest curators to lead tour of exhibit

Download photo

Chris Christion and Jessica Wimbley of Claremont will discuss the curatorial process, the development of the exhibit’s theme and the artwork on display.

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Aug. 17, 2015) The curators of “Biomythography: Secret Poetry and Hidden Angers” will lead an in-depth tour of the exhibit in the William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art at California Lutheran University at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5.

Chris Christion and Jessica Wimbley of Claremont will discuss the curatorial process, the development of the exhibit’s theme and the artwork on display.

Biomythography as a literary term is a style of composition that weaves myth, history and biography in epic narrative. It was coined by poet Audre Lorde to describe “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name,” her narrative of self-discovery and growing up black and lesbian during the 1950s. Biomythography highlights the idea of internal, external and multiple selves.

The exhibit, which is on display through Oct. 16, investigates biomythography as an interdisciplinary visual arts practice. As both artists and curators, Wimbley and Christion believe that effective visual arts and critical historical practices must be inclusive of differing cultural, social, political and anthropological perspectives.

The display includes video, performance, installation, sculpture, photography and two-dimensional mixed media works in which artists juxtapose historical facts, life experiences, pop culture, ritual, mythology, anthropological conjectures and notions of identity. “Biomythography: Secret Poetry and Hidden Angers” was first featured in 2014 at Claremont Graduate University.

In addition to Christion and Wimbley, the exhibit’s featured artists include Zenia Baltagi, Crystal Z. Campbell, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Abdul Mazid, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Thinh Nguyen, Juliana Paciulli, Glynnis Reed, Rachelle Rojany, Yoshie Sakai and Monica Sandoval.

Christion received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine, and Wimbley earned her MFA from the University of California, Davis.

Other events scheduled in conjunction with the Cal Lutheran exhibit include a multidisciplinary panel discussion at 6 p.m. Oct. 1 in the Lundring Events Center and the premiere of McMullin’s appropriation art piece “100 Tikis” at 7 p.m. Oct. 14 in the Preus-Brandt Forum.

The gallery is located in William Rolland Stadium at 160 Overton Court on the Thousand Oaks campus. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission to the gallery and all events is free. For more information, call 805-493-3697, email rollandgallery@callutheran.edu or visit CalLutheran.edu/rolland.