In 1987, Eugene established a Sister City relationship with the capitol of Eastern Siberia, Irkutsk, Russia. One of the many fruits of this relationship is the Siberian Dreams exhibit, which is being shown in the Adell McMillan Gallery in the EMU until Jan. 29.
“It’s a great way for students to experience art from different cultures and art from different areas of the world,” said Adam Howard, the Visual Arts Coordinator for the Cultural Forum.
The exhibit features contemporary and traditional art by Irkutsk artists. The exhibit’s pieces explore Native Siberian myths, legends and folklore. The exhibit also draws a connection between Native Siberian and Native American folklore.
“The unique thing about this exhibit is that it combines both contextual elements and formal elements,” said Howard. “(Students) can appreciate the visual aesthetics, or (they) can appreciate the background.”
The Craft Center will display its work in the Adell McMillan Gallery after the Siberian Dreams exhibit. The Cultural Forum’s Pacific Northwest Art Annual will show in April, and international students will showcase their work in May. For more information go to the Cultural Forum’s Web site: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~cultural.
-Andrew McCollum