Prints by Jonathan McFadden on display

Prints by Jonathan McFadden, professor at the College of Fine Arts, School of Art & Visual Studies at University of Kentucky, will be on display in Furman University’s Thompson Gallery, Roe Art Building, Feb. 15-March 15. Thompson Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

The exhibition, Clearly this is satire, but …, is free and open to the public, and is presented by the Furman University Department of Art.

In a statement, McFadden says:

My work explores the deluge of ephemeral text and imagery presented by media and how this cacophony of imagery has altered our understanding of the globalized landscape it presents. The bombardment of information that streams on social media sites and news outlets creates a sense of urgency that is intensely focused on the NOW. The often haste and theatric nature of media information elevates the impulsive reaction and dissuades proper reflection.

Instead of representing a traditional narrative, the consumption of information blurs from one source to another, flowing from Facebook to Wikipedia to Reddit and other sources of information. This presents us with a fragmented narrative that is layered with preference to what is liked or voted up. Rather than representing this information as ephemeral, my print and installation work uses this information to build a physical history built in the layers of information that make up my visual aesthetic. Blending issues that are viewed as “serious” with the vernacular of Twitter and Facebook, I seek to create imagery that is indicative of contrast between what is considered trivial and [what is] significant.

Jonathan McFadden holds an MFA in printmaking from Edinburgh College of Art, and a BFA in printmaking and bachelor’s in French from Texas State University. His work has been exhibited at the National Gallery of Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy, University of Texas-San Antonio, University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Minnesota, and many other national and international venues.

For more information about the exhibition, contact the Furman University Department of Art, (864) 294-2074. Or visit McFadden’s website, www.jonathanmcfadden.com.