Manifesting his life’s observations, artist Jason Franz’s “Figure Enso: Twenty- Two Years of Life Drawings” is the next exhibition set to be displayed at the Western Illinois University Art Gallery on Tuesday, October 7. A reception for the artist will be hosted on the same day as the opening, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., where the artist will speak at 5:00 p.m.
An artist, educator, curator, and founding director of the non-profit arts organization Manifest, the Cincinnati native takes a raw and unfiltered approach to his work, which he selectively chooses to display at premier galleries like Western’s. In 1988, Franz earned his BFA degree with honors from the Art Academy of Cincinnati. From there, he served as an exhibition designer and preparator at the Cincinnati Art Museum, where he played a key role in establishing the Exhibition Design Department. In 1998, he earned his MFA at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, which enabled him to educate the bright minds of students interested in making a lasting impact in the industry through his teaching at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University. In 2005-2006, Manifest, the organization he developed, still remains an essential part of sharing creative research and accessible art-based experiences with the public outside of academia today.
“Figure Enso: Twenty- Two Years of Life Drawings” will remain on display until Friday, November 14. The University Art Gallery (located at 1 University Circle in Macomb) is open from 9 a.m. to noon, then 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is free and open to the public.
