We're flipping the script at the University of Lethbridge as Vibe Fest prepares to return to campus on Saturday, April 18.
Showcasing the top-level creative work of Faculty of Fine Arts students, alumni and employees, Vibe Fest promises audiences a vibrant, interactive celebration of artistic excellence.
Our classrooms and learning spaces transform into experiences that are open, inclusive and free to the public. From engaging performances to experimental installations, audiences are invited to explore the full spectrum of emerging art practices across disciplines.
Department of Art Staff and Faculty Exhibition
During Vibe Fest, the Department of Art will be showcasing their annual Staff & Faculty exhibition. Co-curators Katie Bruce (BFA - Art '11) and Mandy Espezel (MFA '12) say for this year, they've flipped the script.
"We have assigned some homework to ourselves. Pulling from the depths our own filing cabinets, we are responding to the projects and assignments that our peers usually give to the students, and making work in response. You’ll be able to see how your teachers either follow the rules of the project, or don’t (no extensions allowed)."
Katie and Mandy add that the theme for this year's exhibition is unique compared to previous years, which explored broad ideas around context and time.
"This year, we are thinking about what teaching is collectively, and by engaging with these assignments, reflecting on how the parameters we give our students can be quite inspiring! By responding to the assignments, we’ll be challenging ourselves to be both truthful to our art and accountable to the concepts explored in our classes, while also allowing ourselves to be inspired by the work of our peers."
The duo add that sharing work in the Staff & Faculty exhibition during Vibe Fest is a great opportunity for public audiences to see the incredible variety, depth and passion that the Art Department has and invests in their creative practices.
"Our work as artists and creative practitioners informs and enriches the knowledge and skills we share with our students. This exhibition is a great opportunity for students (and their friends and families) to see how each artist approaches a project with unique interpretations, hopefully giving students permission to engage with their full curiosity, too."
Katie and Mandy add that visitors can expect to see an amazing variety of art by students, staff and faculty throughout the Centre for the Arts.
"You’ll get to see all kinds of creativity on display through installations, photography, painting, video and media work, drawing, textiles, sculpture, printmaking, performance, and more," they say.
"Whether the art is a class project, an individual piece from this past year, or the open studios of our senior students, there is a lot to engage with!"
Join the Art Department for their annual exhibition, Art Awards and more at Vibe Fest on Saturday, April 18 from 3-10 p.m. in the University Centre for the Arts. The Art Awards start at 5 p.m. in W817, while the exhibition is viewable in W871.