Visual artist Josh MacPhee — known for his emphasis on creating and curating socially engaged artwork — will be visiting Iowa City next week to participate in a number of speaking events and workshops. MacPhee plans to engage the community in “questioning how the arts and culture can address the most challenging and urgent questions facing our society today,” according to the University of Iowa School of Art.
Josh MacPhee is significant especially within a collection of politically engaged artists. For these folks, the end of art is not about abstract contemplation but provoking political action.
MacPhee has been using print media for years to produce affordable, politically charged work that brings these issues to light in a graphically compelling way. Two of his projects (Justseeds and the more recent Interference Archive) make connections between like-minded artists and aim to make visible those underrepresented voices in political debate.
I get the strong impression that MacPhee is not out to make a buck, here — his strategies are legitimately aimed at placing his work in the service of postive political change.
Josh MacPhee’s Sept. 23-28 Itinerary
Note: Some of these events have participation caveats. Be sure to check the details listed below.
Monday, September 23
Public Lecture: “Paper Politics: 500 Years of Political Printmaking”
7:30 pm, 240 Art Building West
Tuesday, September 24
Public Lecture: “Space, History, Toward a Visual Commons”
7:30 pm, 240 Art Building West
Wednesday, September 25
Lunchtime discussion with Studio Arts graduate students
12:30 PM, 1703 Studio Arts
Thursday, September 26
Stencil Workshop with the Iowa Youth Writing Project
4:30 PM, Zenzic Press, 120 N. Dubuque
Friday, September 27
Small group discussion: “Open Stacks and Accessibility For All: Use of Archives as Preservation”
12:00 PM, Main Library 3083
Friday, September 27
Closing Reception, “Migration Now
6:00 PM, Zenzic Press, 120 N. Dubuque
Saturday, September 28
Guest instructor, “Screenprinting Political Graphics”
1:00-5:00 PM, Zenzic Press, 120 N. Dubuque
Register here for this four-week workshop starting September 14
