KENNESAW, Ga. | Jan 21, 2021

Kennesaw State University’s Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art (ZMA) will debut three exhibitions this month featuring the works of KSU faculty, KSU students and a curated installation of comic art. 

Two exhibitions, the Spring 2021 Faculty Exhibition and The 9th Art: Frames and Thought Bubbles, will be on display Jan. 23 through May 9. The student exhibition, New Visions 2021, opened at the Fine Arts Gallery earlier this month and runs through Feb. 21. 

Spring 2021 Faculty Exhibition

This exhibition spotlights the incredible talent and creativity of the artists who teach full-time in the College of the Arts School of Art and Design (SOAAD).

“Faculty members at the School of Art and Design not only teach, but they are also working, professional artists, from sculptors to jewelry-makers to photographers and illustrators. This is a unique opportunity to celebrate their work outside of the classroom in our museum space,” said Cynthia Nourse-Thompson, director of curatorial affairs at ZMA.

Artists featured include Keith Smith, Kristine Kim, Craig Brasco, Page Burch, Jeff Campana, Sandee Chamberlain, Donna Colebeck, Valerie Dibble, Jonathan Fisher, Matt Haffner, Debbie Hutchinson, Joe Karg, Chris Malone, Joe Remillard, Don Robson, and Robert Sherer. Each artist has also submitted an artist statement to help the viewer better understand the work.

The 9th Art: Frames and Thought Bubbles

Curated by Geo Sipp, director of the School of Art and Design, the exhibition provides an encyclopedic overview of comic art, sharing examples of a wide variety of visual and narrative storytelling styles from panels in early newspapers to contemporary comic images.

Comics on exhibition include Winsor McCay’s Little Nemo in Slumberland from 1908, and Will Eisner’s The Spirit from 1949; both pieces are on loan from The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum in Columbus, Ohio. Louise Simonson and June Brigman’s Power Pack from 1984 is also on exhibition.

The term “9th Art” acknowledges the reverence for which Franco-Belgian audiences regard comics in their culture. In France and Belgium, the term bande dessinée, which derives from the original description of the art form as drawn strips—analogous to the sequence of images in a film strip—has been given the honor of being referred to as the 9th art since the 1960s.

The ZMA has planned additional programming and workshops in association with the exhibition; all are free and open to the public.

New Visions 2021

The New Visions exhibition series, which debuted on Jan. 8 and runs through Feb. 21, provides students across all disciplines of the School of Art and Design the ability to showcase their talent and skill. The newly revitalized series will continue to offer students an annual juried exhibition opportunity as originated by the Visions Registered Student Organization, the first arts organization at KSU, when the College of the Arts was founded.

The New Visions exhibition provides viewers with a significant opportunity to witness a variety of artistic methodologies and featured work from over 30 KSU students.

To learn more about the ZMA, view the complete schedule and make a reservation, please visit https://arts.kennesaw.edu/zuckerman/.

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.