Camarillo, Calif., Jan. 27, 2017 — Two art shows expressing bold social commentary and another that serves as a lighter musical interlude will be on display beginning Jan. 30 through Feb. 16 at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI).
The opening reception will be Thursday, Feb. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Napa Hall on campus.
UC Santa Barbara MFA graduate students Yumiko Glover and Rose Briccetti take a feminist stance with their joint show, “secret secret,” in which they use their art to question a women’s equality in both the U.S. and Japan.
Glover questions the pressure a woman in Japan feels to end her working career when she marries and has children. Glover said this is one of the factors in Japan’s declining birth rate.
“When woman marry and have children, they cannot keep their jobs, and they don’t have a good system for child care,” said Glover, who was born in Japan. “As a result, a lot of women don’t want to marry and have children.”
Glover believes more of Japan’s funding should go toward social issues, rather than increasing the military.
Bricetti, 20, concentrates on what she calls the denial of the feminine identity in the American culture.
Women tend to fall into traditional roles centered on caring for someone else, she said, and her individual identity can be submerged.
“Also women are objectified or valued only for outward physical traits and not encouraged to grow internally or self-actualize,” she said. “We see this a lot in film and television.”
Two 2016 recipients of the Studio Channel Island's Award of Excellence Scholarship created “Rhythm & Lines,” an exploration of the relationship between geometric shapes and music. CSUCI Art sophomore Dominique Burgos used photography and Art senior Andy Lepe used multimedia to create the show.
“In my collection I tried exploring the undertones of femininity and masculinity within musical instruments,” Burgos said. “I want my audience to appreciate not only the sounds of instruments but the beauty of their shapes and compositions.”
On the Grad Wall, CSUCI 2016 art graduate Jeremy Benavidez, 28, used silkscreen to chronicle his emotional journey through heartbreak and healing with “Chapters: Based on a True Story.”
Benavidez included a larger social-political message by including how pop culture can mirror chapters in our lives.
“I wanted to show the end of a relationship, the transition into hurt, rediscovery and finding true love,” Benavidez said. “How we see our emotions displayed with TV and movies.”
Benavidez’s story continues. He married a native of Germany a few weeks ago and plans to continue his digital arts studies in his wife’s home country.
Limited parking is available on campus with the purchase of a $6 daily permit; follow signs to the parking permit dispensers. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the CSUCI Vista Bus to the campus; the cash-only fare is $1.25 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.
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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.