CORVALLIS, Ore. – Multidisciplinary artist Dread Scott, whose works often focus on the experience of African-Americans in the contemporary United States, will speak at 7 p.m. March 7 at Oregon State University as part of the School of Arts & Communication’s Visiting Artists and Scholars Lecture Series.

Scott, whose given name is Tyler Scott, will speak in the Construction & Engineering Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 S.W. 26th St. A reception with the artist will be held at 6 p.m. in the Myrtle Tree alcove at the same location. The talk and reception are free and open to the public.

His public talk, titled “Imagine a World without America,” will discuss some of his work spanning a 25-year career, in themes that include: American identity and patriotism; American democracy’s roots in slavery; the criminalization of black and Latino youth; a continuum that connects the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s to the contemporary Black Lives Matter resistance to shootings by police; and imagining a world free of oppression and exploitation.

Scott describes his work as “revolutionary art to propel history forward.” His works may incorporate performance, photography, screen printing and/or video. He first received national attention in 1989 as a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago when his exhibit “What Is the Proper Way to Display a U.S. Flag” became the center of controversy over its transgressive use of the American flag.

Scott also plays with fire, metaphorically and sometimes literally, such as when he burned $171 on Wall Street and encouraged those with money to burn to add theirs to the pyre.

A native of Chicago, Scott now resides in New York City. He has received grants from the Creative Capital Foundation, the MAP Fund and the Pollock Krasner Foundation. His work has been included in recent exhibitions at MoMA PS1, the Walker Art Center, the Brooklyn Museum and the Whitney Museum. In 2012, the Brooklyn Academy of Music presented his performance “Dread Scott: Decision” as part of its 30th anniversary Next Wave Festival.

During Scott’s residency in the School of Arts and Communication, he will be a speaker in art classes and will lead a workshop for art students focusing on making art to promote or represent conversation on patriotism and nationalism.

The Visiting Artists and Scholars Lecture series brings world-renowned artists and scholars to the OSU campus to speak, teach and interact with students. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2dVv5kW and www.dreadscott.net

College of Liberal Arts

About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts encompasses seven distinct schools, as well as several interdisciplinary initiatives, that focus on humanities, social sciences, and fine and performing arts. Curriculum developed by the college’s nationally and internationally-renowned faculty prepares students to approach the complex problems of the world ethically and thoughtfully, contributing to a student's academic foundation and helping to build real-world skills for a 21st century career and a purposeful life.

Story By: 

Erin Sneller, 541-737-5592, [email protected]

Source: 

Kerry Skarbakka, 541-737-1256, [email protected]

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