Newswise — The Department of Visual Arts at North Dakota State University, Fargo, has announced that Hedi Schwöbel, Ludwigsburg, Germany, will become the first James Rosenquist Artist in Residence at NDSU. Through the residency program, Schwöbel will work spring semester 2007 in the studio dedicated for the program at NDSU's Downtown Visual Arts Department, interacting with students, holding public lectures and opening her studio to visitors.
"NDSU is delighted to welcome our first Rosenquist Artist in Residence," said President Joseph A. Chapman. "This exciting project is designed to build art appreciation at the university and in the community. I am thrilled about the opportunities our students will have, as they learn from an outstanding artist."
Schwöbel's artwork is inspired by her perception of the times and the society in which she lives. In a technology-driven world with its rapid advancements, she investigates the existential dimension of life and the human experience. "I am looking forward to incorporating the North Dakota winter into my site-specific work," said Schwöbel.
Ephemeral quality, fragility and the aspect of time are important issues in Schwöbel's work. Therefore, she has been utilizing fragile materials such as handmade paper, translucent paper, silicone, gelatin or aluminum foil. Her recent work is based on site-specific installations in which she captures and works with the "genius loci," or guardian spirit, of a site by examining its history, dimensions and atmosphere. The impact of the site also determines the choice of materials, which means she often experiments with new possibilities. Schwöbel will share all of this in her studio at the NDSU Downtown campus, culminating the semester with an exhibit and the donation of a piece of her work to the James Rosenquist Artist Residency Collection.
"The start of the Artist Residency program at NDSU provides students and the community with an opportunity to learn unique artistic methods and view exceptional new artwork," said Thomas Riley, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at NDSU.
Schwöbel studied at the University of Heidelberg and the University of Education in Ludwigsburg receiving an art teacher's degree. She served an apprenticeship as a ceramist in Munich for three years. From 1986 to 1993, she received education as a sculptor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, Germany. Schwöbel's awards include a two-month residency at Sculpture Space in Utica, N.Y., in 2004, and a six-month grant for the Cité Internationale in Paris from the German Government of Baden-Wurttemberg in 2003.
The James Rosenquist Artist in Residency Program for Visual Arts at NDSU honors James Rosenquist. Born in Grand Forks, N.D., Rosenquist is considered one of the greatest living artists of the Pop Art movement of North America. His work and career are internationally known. Rosenquist's original vision and constant search in seeing and presenting the world in new ways has been relentless for the past 40 years. James Rosenquist was awarded an honorary doctorate from North Dakota State University in May 2005.
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