Visiting artist talks: Shirin Neshat, Dawoud Bey, Alberto Cairo & more

Events are part of the college’s ongoing Visiting Artist Series, which welcomes internationally renowned artists, designers to campus

The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) announces a series of winter visiting artist talks that showcase artists and designers working in wide range of fields, including data visualization, fine art, photography, design and more.

Part of MICA’s long-standing tradition of inviting working artists and designers from around the world to speak with students and the local community, the visiting artists scheduled to speak this season represent the diversity of global art, as well as the ways in which art and design influence politics, community activism and media.

Recent visiting artists include internationally renowned Chinese artist Xu Bing, conceptual artist Andrea Zittel and curator and artist Fred Wilson, among others.

Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public. For more details, visit events.mica.edu.

Schedule

Alberto Cairo and the Visual Trumpery Tour
Thursday, January 25, 7:30pm
Falvey Hall, Brown Center, 1301 W Mt. Royal Ave

Data visualization expert and author Alberto Cairo examines how “fake news,” lies and videotape are fracturing the nation, and exposes the underbelly of national media, politics, corporations and the legal system. The word “trumpery” means worthless nonsense, something that is showy and deceitful at the same time. Cairo’s non-partisan talk focuses on the visual, examining misleading charts, graphs and data maps designed by individuals and organizations from across the political spectrum. Presented by Open Studies and the master’s program in Information Visualization.

Andrea Polli
Monday, February 5, 4pm
Lazarus Auditorium, Lazarus Center, 131 W North Ave

A lecture by scholar and artist Andrea Polli, whose work examines the intersection of art, science and technology. Polli’s practice includes media performance and installation, public interventions, curating and editorial, directing and writing. Presented as part of MICA’s Mixed Media Series and by the Rinehart School of Sculpture.

Type Family: 4 Design Authors @ MICA
Tuesday, February 13, 7pm
Falvey Hall, Brown Center, 1301 W Mt. Royal Ave

Four designers and authors discuss their work, featuring MFA in Graphic Design Co-Director Ellen Lupton, author of Design is Storytelling; Doug Thomas ’16 (Graphic Design MFA), author of Never Use Futura; and new MA in Graphic Design Director Sandra Maxa and faculty member Mark Sanders, authors of Typographic Design, 7th Edition. Book signings with the authors will follow.

Perspective: Shirin Neshat in Conversation with Christopher Bedford
Thursday, February 15, 7pm
Falvey Hall, Brown Center, 1301 W Mt. Royal Ave

The multidisciplinary Iranian artist Shirin Neshat discusses her work, whose themes include gender, identity, politics and contrasting life between the West and Muslim countries, with Baltimore Museum of Art Director Christopher Bedford. Presented as part of MICA’s Mixed Media Series.

Dawoud Bey
Monday, March 5, 6pm
Lazarus Auditorium, Lazarus Center, 131 W North Ave

Photographer and 2017 MacArthur Fellow Dawoud Bey speaks about his work, which is known for documenting black communities and marginalized groups. Presented by the Photography Department in collaboration with the Aperture Foundation and made possible by MICA alumnus Stuart Cooper.

Graduate Study at MICA
Founded in 1826, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is the oldest continuously degree-granting college of art and design in the nation. MICA’s graduate school has been recognized in the top ten in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The College enrolls over 3,000 undergraduate, graduate and continuing studies students from 49 states and 65 countries in fine arts, design, electronic media, art education, liberal arts, and professional studies degree and non-credit programs. For a full list of graduate programs and opportunities, click here.

For more information about MICA’s programming, or to visit the campus, contact the Office of Graduate Admission at graduate [​at​] mica.edu.