The Mezzanine Gallery to Exhibit “Ship of Theseus” by Lauren E. Peters

On view from December 7-28, 2018
Free opening reception on Friday, December 7 at 5 p.m.

Wilmington, Del. (November 28, 2018) – Ship of Theseus, an exhibition of self-portraits by painter Lauren E. Peters, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from December 7-28, 2018. Peters received a 2018 Individual Artist Fellowship in Painting. The artist will host a free opening reception on Friday, December 7 from 5-8 p.m.

Greek and Roman references and the understanding of self/identity have been recurring themes in Peters’ work. Her choice of the exhibition title, Ship of Theseus, is a reference to thought experiment that raises the question of whether a ship—standing for an object in general—that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. In her artwork, Peters explores the fluid and multifaceted nature of identity through a series of self-portraits in which she wears a variety of clothing and props. Peters’ colorful personas fill the foreground and they frequently gaze directly at the viewer.

While the costumes may be thought of as disguises, they are created to bring the different realities beneath our “normal” appearance to light. Peters explains:

“If I put on a costume for a self-portrait, is that more or less me? There are such a variety of changes that humans undergo over the course of a lifetime or even days; and these paintings, under the wigs and bright colors, struggle to find the truth at the core.”

Learn more about Peters with our YouTube Meet the Artist video series. Image: self-portrait (messenger), 2018, oil on canvas, 16″ x 20″

The Mezzanine Gallery is open to the public weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and  is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

###

Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov


The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.


Delaware Division of the Arts Announces 2018 Individual Artist Fellowship Awardees

Delaware Division of the Arts - Mezzanine Gallery exhibition by 2017 Individual Artist Fellow, Beth Trepper.

DELAWARE DIVISION OF THE ARTS ANNOUNCES
 2018 INDIVIDUAL ARTIST FELLOWSHIP AWARDEES

Seventeen Delaware artists are being recognized by the Division for the high quality of their artwork. Work samples from 124 Delaware choreographers, composers, musicians, writers, folk and visual artists were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals, considering demonstrated creativity and skill in their art form. The 17 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Lewes, Newark, Rehoboth Beach, and Wilmington.

Awards are given in three categories – $10,000 for the Masters Award, $6,000 for the Established Professional Award, and $3,000 for the Emerging Professional Award – and Fellows are required to offer at least one exhibit or performance during the upcoming year, providing an opportunity for the public to experience their work. The work of the Fellows will be featured in a group exhibition, Award Winners XVIII, at the Biggs Museum this summer.

“Individual Artist Fellowship grants provide the recognition and exposure that artists need to successfully promote their work,” said Paul Weagraff, director of Delaware Division of the Arts.  “The financial award allows them to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs to advance their careers.”

The Masters Fellowship is open to differing artistic disciplines each year. In Fiscal Year 2018, Masters Fellowship applications were accepted in Dance, Jazz or Music from artists who had previously received an Established Professional Fellowship. In addition to exemplifying high artistic quality, Masters Fellowship applicants must demonstrate their involvement and commitment to the arts in Delaware. Listed below are the Delaware Division of the Arts 2018 Individual Artist Fellows and four Honorable Mentions.

Musician and educator Lloyd Shorter has been awarded this year’s Masters Fellowship in Music: Solo Recital. Shorter plays English horn, oboe, and oboe d’amore. This season marks Shorter’s 45th season with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. He is also a performer and Co-Artistic Director of the Relâche Ensemble, an eight-member contemporary music ensemble based in Philadelphia. With Relâche he has recorded or performed new works, toured nationally and internationally, and collaborated with numerous composers including Philip Glass. At the University of Delaware, Shorter spent 34 years as Assistant Professor of Oboe, and was the Director for the Governor’s School Music Program and a member of the Del Arte Woodwind Quintet. He continues to teach privately and explore new music with a special interest in technology.


2018 Individual Artist Fellows

Masters Award ($10,000)

Established Professional Award ($6,000)

Emerging Artist Award ($3,000)

Honorable Mention

 

To contact an individual artist, please email or call: Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services, Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov or 302-577-8283.

The next deadline for Individual Artist Fellowship applications will be Tuesday, August 1, 2018 by 4:30 p.m.

###

Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov


Sculptor Robert M. Bickey to show work in the Mezzanine Gallery in December/January

The Delaware Division of the Arts Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present Bent, an exhibition of new work by 2015 Individual Artist Fellow in Sculpture Robert M. Bickey. The exhibition will be on view from December 4, 2015 through January 22, 2016. The opening reception for the artist will be held on Friday, December 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. The Gallery, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

Bickey produced site specific work for this exhibition. His work incorporates found objects and constructed sculptural pieces that take advantage of the soaring space in the gallery. Light and sound play an important role in the work. “The Mezzanine Gallery show gave me the opportunity to be visually and artistically experimental,” said Bickey. “My intention is to question the visitor’s ideas of art and beauty, time and place, and what society deems ‘precious.’”

Robert M. Bickey lives in Wilmington and has taught art at Delaware School of Art & Design, University of Delaware, Clemson University, Central Carolina Community College, and Tower Hill School.