LIONS & TIGERS & BEARS, OH MY! at SIU

“Warning: This exhibit is not appropriate for humorless people and Turkey Vultures being treated for chronic indigestion.” 

That is the opening statement... Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My! (watch out for dancing mice too) is the new two-tier exhibition curated and written by Rachel Fischoff opening at the University Museum August 16th on the campus of Southern Illinois University.

For adults (and other tall people), Tier One is a whimsical presentation of a focused selection from the Museum’s collection of art and artifacts depicting creatures who share the planet with us.
Featured pieces include four lithographs from Dutch avant-garde pioneer Karel Appel’s colorful Cats Series and the first time display of four animal etchings by San Francisco’s famed master printmaker Beth Van Hoesen.

Special additions include Japanese painter Mori Sosen’s cloth scroll, “3 Baboons at Base of Tree” and Tucson Blacksmith Tom Bredlow’s “Little Mouse-Doorbell.”

“There’s also a sculpture of a cow wearing earrings,” said Guest Curator, Rachel Fischoff, “I think it will start a trend.”

Tier Two, right below, is an “Alternative Exhibit for Short People,” featuring depictions of “Animals Doing Funny Things,” by “Artists Under the Age of Ten.”

Southern Illinois children, age ten and under, were invited to use a medium of their choice, anything from computerized digital to smeared pureed carrots.  (No one used pureed carrots, but one artist threatened to use cake icing)

One of the pieces that will be exhibited is by Cullen Shanahan of Carbondale.  He calls it: “Doggie on the Dance Floor.”
A sample of the other art in the Tier Two part of the exhibit:
Gabriela Benyas The Violin Tree
Joshua Xiong Cheng, Yoshi Playing a Guitar
Abbey Ann Dorsey,  A Bear pulling a rabbit out of a hat,
Nathaniel Fletter, A starfish playing soccer
Claire Gardner, The Hoola Cat
Erick Grimmer, Fly’s eat frogs
Sage Julian-Fralish, Circus Giraffe with a hula hoop
Lola King, Beever Mowing the crass
Catherine Lee, Snake Singing a Song
Estelle Miller, A zebra wearing lipstick and eating candy at the same time
Aidan Tunison, Mouse Playing Harmonica

 EXHIBIT DATES: THURSDAY, Thursday, August 16th – December 8, 2012

Admission to The University Museum is FREE.
Museum Hours:  HEN SIU IS IN SESSION, THE MUSEUM is OPEN:  Tues-Fri: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sat.: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
THERE IS A VISITOR PARKING LOT ACROSS FROM THE STUDENT CENTER ON LINCOLN DRIVE.
Meter payment is required from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Meters cost 50 cents per hour.

FREE RECEPTION: Friday, September 21, 2012 4:00pm to 7:00pm. (After 4pm, parking on campus is unrestricted.)
Warning #2:  if you are solidly a very grouchy person this exhibit could make you smile, or worse, laugh out loud.
Over and out,
Rachel Fischoff, S.P.