October 16, 2008

SIUC to host ceramicist as visiting artist

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The School of Art and Design at Southern Illinois University Carbondale welcomes ceramicist David Furman as a visiting artist Oct. 22-24.

During his visit, Furman will present0 a free, public lecture beginning at 7 p.m., Oct. 22, in the University Museum auditorium in Faner Hall.

Furman is a whimsical artist, and a master at several styles of ceramics. Among his best-known works are teapots that look like vegetables yet refer to a South American tradition of erotic vessel, “drop dead realism” composite objects and scenes using small mannequins similar to those used to teach figure drawing.

Furman has several prestigious awards to his credit, including multiple National Endowment for the Arts fellowships, and multiple Fulbright Senior Artist fellowships. He has shown his work in more than 40 one-person exhibits and at such venues as the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum in New York City.

He is a professor emeritus from the Claremont Colleges in California. He held the Peter and Gloria Gold Endowed Chair at Pitzer College in the Claremont system and also Claremont Graduate University. He served the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts as director-at-large and as secretary-treasurer.

The Fine Arts Activity Fee funds the Visiting Artist Program.