Angelo State to Host Exhibit Showcasing Cross-Cultural Contemporary Prints

SAN ANGELO, TX - Angelo State University will host a special guest art exhibit by printmaker Mario Kiran, chair of the Department of the Arts at the University of Texas Permian Basin, beginning Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the Carr Education-Fine Arts (EFA) Building, 2602 Dena Drive.

Titled "Ek Saath (Together)," the exhibit of Kiran's contemporary prints will be on display in the Carr EFA Building's Gallery 193 and will be open for free public viewing on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through March 7. He will also present a Gallery Talk about his exhibit on March 7 at 10 a.m. in Gallery 193. This event will also be open and free to the public.

A native of Bangalore, India, Kiran uses the latest printmaking processes in creating illustrations that portray a cross-cultural relationship between East Indian and Western influences to address issues that deal with cultures and the important role they play in communities.

"Being an East Indian myself and having knowledge of Indian miniatures, I enjoy working with rich color and detailed imagery," Kiran said. "Though the Indian miniatures were made for royal appraisal and to record past and happening events, they had detailed decorative patterns. Looking at a miniature painting, one would be able to relate to the emotional setting of the composition. My work has similar qualities, but instead of packing a drawing or print within a small surface, I elaborate my compositions on a larger scale. Though I retain the miniature style in certain areas, I do use surreal concepts for the placement of imagery."

Also a professor of art at UTPB, Kiran teaches printmaking and two-dimensional design. He previously taught graphic arts at the College of the Sequoias and Fresno Pacific University in California and the University of South Dakota. He has contributed his artwork to over 100 invitational and juried exhibits both nationally and internationally, and he has participated in over 20 national print exchanges. His works are included in collections in the U.S., France, India and Japan.

Additionally, Kiran received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and Texas Women on the Arts to start the Pots-n-Prints mobile studio that annually travels to rural areas in Southwest and West Texas to bring art appreciation and education to underserved rural students of all ages.