School of Art and Design Exhibitions and Lectures

Jack Olson Gallery Exhibitions

September 4 – October 19
Golden: School of Art and Design Jack Arends Hall 50th Anniversary Juried Alumni Exhibition
Reception: Thursday, Sept. 20, 5 – 8 p.m.
Exhibition of work in all media by alumni of the NIU School of Art and Design.
Juror: Dan Silverstein, Associate Director of Exhibitions and Collections Logistics, Block Museum at Northwestern University (BFA 1991)

November 5 – 17
High School Invitational
Closing Reception and Award Presentation, Saturday, Nov 17, 3 – 4 p.m.
The High School Invitational exhibition features work by high school students from northern Illinois. The exhibition is partially underwritten by Blick Art Materials.

December 3 – 11
BFA Show
Reception: Thursday, Dec 6, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Capstone exhibition showcasing works by students earning NIU School of Art and Design BFA Degrees.

January 17 to February 22
Annual Juried Blick Art Materials Ars Nova Exhibition
Reception, Juror’s Talk, and Award Presentation: Thursday, Jan 17, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Annual Juried exhibition featuring works by current NIU School of Art and Design students.
Exhibition sponsored by Blick Art Materials.

March 7 – April 18 (gallery closed March 9-17 for spring break)
Carlos Melian
UNTITLED (Simple Acts)
The genesis for each work in Untitled (Simple Acts) is the simple act of creating an abstract image based on recognizable forms, dividing basic geometric shapes, or extending a painting beyond its traditional boundaries.

-and-

Gina Lee Robbins
Material Alchemy: Cobbling with Clay and Found Materials
Material Alchemy is comprised of ceramic wall installations and free standing sculpture that incorporate found artifacts from both the built and natural worlds.
Reception and gallery talks: Thursday, March 7, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

April 25 – May 8
BFA Show
Reception: Saturday, May 4, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Capstone exhibition showcasing works by students earning NIU School of Art and Design BFA Degrees.

The gallery is located on the second floor of the Visual Arts Building on the east end of the NIU campus and is handicapped accessible. Campus parking is free week days after 5:00 p.m. and on weekends. Limited meter parking is available on Gilbert Drive.

Gallery Hours :
Monday – Thursday:  10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Friday:  10 a.m. – noon

o l s o n g a l l e r y . n i u . e d u

Elizabeth Allen Visiting Speakers in Art History Alumni Series

Monday, September 17, 2018, Jack Arends Hall 100, 5 p.m.
Elaine King, Professor Emerita, College of Fine Arts, School of Art, Carnegie Mellon University
“A Cultural Capital Quagmire: How the Art Market and not Curators or Art Critics legitimatize cultural products today”

Wednesday, October 17, 2018, Jack Arends Hall 100, 5 p.m.
Thomas Russo, Associate Dean, International Programs; Professor, Art History, Drury University
“Defining Sacred Spaces: Sculpture in the Romanesque Church”

Tuesday, November 20, 2018, Jack Arends Hall 100, 5 p.m.
Alexandra Green, Henry Ginsburg Curator for Southeast Asia, the British Museum
“Image as information: materializing the Buddha in late Burmese art”
Organized by the NIU Center for Burma Studies

Monday, February 4, 2019, Jack Arends Hall 100, 5 p.m.
Samuel Dodd, Visiting Assistant Professor, Ohio University
“All Eyes on Space: An Architectural History of Television”

Wednesday, February 27, Jack Arends Hall 100, 5 p.m.
Freida High W. Tesfagiorgis, Evjue-Bascom Professor Emerita of African and African American Art History and Visual Culture, University of Wisconsin Madison
“Serious Change: Toward A More Meaningful Diversified Artworld”

Tuesday, April 9, 2019, Jack Arends Hall 100, 5 p.m.
Rhonda Taube, Professor and Chair, Department of Art and Art History, Riverside City College
“Xena Warrior Princess Meets Efraín Rios Montt: Contemporary Maya Dance and Pop Culture Imagery in Highland Guatemala”