Mississippi State University held the opening reception for Derrick Buisch’s art exhibit, “News from the Sun,” Thursday.
Buisch spent the day conducting guest lectures and studio critiques for students and patrons. The department of art and the University Honors Program co-sponsored the event.
“The Honors Program and the department of art have had a longstanding relationship of co-sponsorships that bring outstanding artists and lecturers, not only for students majoring in art, but for the student body in general to gain a better understanding of the arts,” Honors Program Director Jack White said.
Kay DeMarsche, head of the art department, said she was also pleased Buisch was able to deliver the lectures.
“One can gain so many insights into how artists come up with their ideas and images when they speak about their work,” DeMarsche said.
“Our new gallery director, Bill Andrews, has plans for many equally stimulating exhibits in the future that will enliven our whole community,” she added.
Artists for MSU’s art exhibits are selected either through an invitational or an exhibition. According to Andrews, Buisch submitted his work to the university and was invited to visit.
There is not necessarily an art to finding and arranging good exhibits, Andrews said.
“It required equal parts of research and serendipity, in that sometimes you have to hunt them down and sometimes they fall into your lap,” he said.
“University exhibitions are a time-honored tradition of exposing one’s work,” gallery director Bill Andrews said.
The exhibition contains many of Buisch’s recent paintings and drawings, which are abstracts inspired by roadside signs, strip malls, graffiti, tattoos and product symbol design.
Buisch said he draws from his surroundings because they are “perverted and abstracted.”
“In the past, a move in my physical location has allowed my work to radically transform and re-energize the paintings,” Buisch wrote in his artist statement.
“My paintings involve the investigation of three specific properties: drawing, structure and color. Color has a physical presence, a presence that is both mouth-watering and sensuous,” he wrote.
Buisch is an associate professor of art at the University of Wisconsin and an artist with a national exhibition record whose residencies and fellowships have included Yale Norfolk and Skowhegan School of Art. He holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Maryland Institute College of Art.
Buisch’s painting will remain on view until Oct. 24, Andrews said.
Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The gallery is free and open to the public.