Artists Gomez de Molina, Abbott to Visit UW Oct. 1

Cuban-born taxidermy artist Enrique Gomez de Molina and American technology artist Troy Abbott will visit the University of Wyoming Oct. 1-5.

The UW Art Museum will host their new exhibition, “(re)Evolution: Enrique Gomez de Molina & Troy Abbott,” Sept. 21-Dec. 21.

Gomez de Molina and Abbott, together with faculty, curators and educators from the UW Art Museum, will present several public programs during the week.

A free, public panel discussion with the artists and UW faculty members will take place Tuesday, Oct. 1, from 6-7:30 p.m. in Room 111 of the UW Visual Arts Building. Gomez de Molina and Abbott will present a short talk about their exhibition, followed by special guests and UW faculty members who will respond to select works of art. The event is planned as a discussion engaging art, ethics and science. A special exhibition preview for viewers to engage with the works on their own will take place from 5-6 p.m. at the UW Art Museum.

“Lunchtime Conversations with Curators” with Gomez de Molina, Abbott and Nicole Crawford, chief curator at the UW Art Museum, is planned Wednesday, Oct. 2, from noon-1 p.m. The artists will discuss their work in “(re)Evolution” during this curator-led gallery walk-through. Visitors will be offered an informal opportunity to learn more about the artists’ artistic process and ask questions about behind-the-scenes experiences. The event is free and open to the public, and lunch will be provided.

Gomez de Molina and Abbott will give demonstrations Thursday, Oct. 3, from 5-7 p.m. at the UW Art Museum. Gomez de Molina will be in the Museum Classroom, where he will demonstrate his playful nontraditional taxidermy, including the deconstruction and construction of his fantastic forms and choices for materials. Abbott will lead visitors through a special gallery walk-through, where he will explain more about his process, including video editing and choices about framing his subjects -- birds from his own flock. Visitors are invited to drop in or stay for the entire time. The demonstrations are free and open to the public.

“Creative Creature Constructions,” a workshop with Gomez de Molina and Abbott, along with educators and curators from the UW Art Museum, is planned Saturday, Oct. 5, from 1-5 p.m. in the UW Art Museum’s classroom and studio. Participants will choose from a variety of (stuffed) animal forms and recreate a creature inspired by “(re)Evolution.” After finishing their creative creatures, participants are encouraged to experiment with low-tech video tools to invent new narratives or environments for their creations. No experience is necessary.

Attendees are asked to bring stuffed animals or figures they are willing to donate, repurpose or share with the collective group. All other materials will be provided. The workshop is $20 per person, ages 16 and up. To register, go here.

“We are delighted to offer a variety of ways to interact with these artists, from a panel discussion to whimsical and creative studio-based activities,” says Katie Christensen, curator of education and statewide engagement at the UW Art Museum. “For folks from Wyoming, these works are such a fun play on what is possible with taxidermy and bring up questions about how we capture our natural world.”

For more information about the UW Art Museum, call (307) 766-6622, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum, or follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram.

The UW Art Museum collects, exhibits and interprets art to inspire creativity and nurture lifelong learning for the people of Wyoming. Located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 E. Willett Drive in Laramie, the museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday hours are extended to 7 p.m. Admission is free.