VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

The University of Houston - Clear Lake Art Gallery presents the exhibition Dale Clifford:  War Birds.   On view July 12 through October 8, 2010.

Dale Clifford was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1987, Clifford received a BFA in printmaking from Miami University located in Oxford, Ohio. In 1989, he received an MFA in printmaking from Clemson University. From 1996-2002, Clifford was the chairperson and an assistant professor of visual communication at the American University in Dubai, located in the United Arab Emirates. Clifford is currently a professor of foundation studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design. He joined the SCAD-Savannah faculty in 2002 and has been teaching at SCAD-Atlanta since January 2006.

Clifford’s prints and drawings have been exhibited in twelve countries located in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

The Artist Writes:
The imagery included in my work comes directly from my environment. A major influence on my work has been the experience of living and teaching in the Middle East from 1996-2002. During that time, I became aware of the traditional arts of the region. The exposure to architecture, textiles and other applied arts provided a significant insight into the cultural heritage of that environment.

This exposure challenged my perception of symbols and iconography, which has led me to understand a vast history of meaning, which goes beyond that of Western cultural associations. The prints included in this exhibition are an extension of a series of road-kill prints. I became fascinated with this subject matter as I traveled the back roads of Georgia. I used the subjects as vehicles to address formal elements. As this body of work evolved, the carving of the blocks transformed from simply reproducing the drawings to an extension of the drawing process.

In addition, the subjects unfortunate circumstances allowed me to explore more universal themes such as fate, luck, deception and truth and their impact on our day-to-day lives. An emerging political and social narrative is evident in the most recent prints that expand on those universal themes. The works are not meant to be propaganda, but are reactions to current events.

The bird image appeared in the background of many of the early road kill prints. Through research I discovered human interaction with birds has evolved to the point at which legends, folklore, and myths concerning birds has become a part of every culture on earth. Depending on the culture, the images were associated with good, news, bad news, and sometimes even misleading news. The avian images that were once in the background have come to the forefront in this latest war bird series.
Dale Clifford

The UH-Clear Lake Art Gallery is located in Atrium I, first floor of the Bayou Building and the Art Exhibition area is located just outside of the university library on the second floor of the Bayou Building. Admission is free for all exhibits. Click here for more information about art exhibits at UHCL.

Also on view July 12 through October 8, the exhibition Rahul Mitra: Dialogues From Disparate Worlds.

Pictured above:  Shame of the Son, Linocut/woodcut, 18" x 12" 2008.