Exhibit Celebrates Concordia's Art Tradition

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SEWARD, NE (10/26/2018) Concordia University, Nebraska's Marxhausen Gallery of Art will host the exhibit, "Between Surface and Time," celebrating the art and ministry of Emeriti Professors William Wolfram and Richard Wiegmann. It will be available for viewing at the Marxhausen Gallery of Art on Concordia's campus from Oct. 28 through Dec. 12.

A reception will be held from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11, in the Marxhausen Gallery of Art. There will also be a gallery talk with the artists and a special raffle drawing at 2 p.m.

A selection of Wolfram's digital drawings, paintings and liturgical art is paired with 40 print editions created by Wiegmann during his service at Concordia. In presenting these two artists, the exhibition highlights Concordia's deep visual art tradition that has influenced art students for more than 50 years.

"These two professors were not only influential instructors, but they were also role models," says James Bockelman, professor of art and director of the Marxhausen Gallery. "They demonstrated what it meant to be practicing artists and they've given us a terrific show to share with our community."

Wolfram's contribution to this exhibit is a survey of material manipulation in oil, acrylic, modeling paste, assemblage or computer generated images. The overarching themes of Wolfram's work, such as craftsmanship, surface treatment and the significance of abstraction to embody meaning, all relate to the liturgical nature of art, in which the procedure is connected to ritual and the commonplace is consecrated for new service.

Wiegmann's art is marked by a versatile assortment of print technologies including etching, serigraphy, woodcut, embossing and mixed media. Much of his imagery is lifted from scripture and his regard for the natural world. Many of his prints function as visual hymns. In addition, Wiegmann reminds us of the interconnectivity of time and space, lodging his theme between the fossil record and the shape-shifting tide pool.

Since 2000, the Marxhausen Gallery of Art has hosted more than 30 artists and arts professionals. Through a diverse mix of exhibitions, performances, screenings, and conversations, the visiting artist program provides a public forum for the presentation and contemplation of contemporary art, curatorial practice and scholarship. Through discourse, studio critiques, informal discussions and public lectures, the program provides students with direct access to arts professionals working across disciplines.

The exhibit is open to the public and free of charge. Wolfram has donated two digital cross prints as part of a raffle, which can be registered for in the Marxhausen Gallery from Oct. 28 to Nov. 11. A number of etchings and serigraphs by Wiegmann will be for sale as well. All proceeds will go to the gallery's fund for new print acquisitions.

The Marxhausen Gallery is located in Jesse Hall and is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday; and 1-4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday while classes are in session. The Gallery is closed for Thanksgiving recess Nov. 17-25.

About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Nebraska, that currently serves more than 2,700 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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