‘Where the Heck is Yucca Fountain?’ Artists, Presentation and Workshop Coming to UW Art Museum This Week

Visiting artists Helen Popinchalk and Andrew Bablo of “Where the Heck is Yucca Fountain?” will be hosted by the University of Wyoming Art Museum for exhibition-related presentations and an art-making workshop Thursday through Saturday, March 5-7.

“Where the Heck is Yucca Fountain?” includes three distinct installations. Visitors can explore Bert Tuttle’s desert workshop inside the UW Art Museum; his “mobile research lab” outside the Centennial Complex; and the pop-up satellite installation at Sunshine Coffee, located at 731 E. Custer St. in Laramie.

Join Popinchalk, Bablo and UW faculty in the UW Art Museum at 5:30 p.m. Thursday for a panel discussion exploring the ideas and themes behind “Where the Heck is Yucca Fountain?” Faculty members Lori Howe, of the Honors College; Maggie Bourque, of the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources; and Anthony Denzer, of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, will participate in the discussion. The event, free and open to the public, will begin with a reception, followed by the panel discussion at 6 p.m.

In the galleries, the artists and UW Art Museum preparators will host a lunchtime conversation at noon Friday, offering visitors an opportunity to engage directly with the exhibition and learn more about the artists’ creative processes. This event is free and open to the public.

Popinchalk and Bablo will lead a hands-on art-making workshop in the museum at 1 p.m. Saturday, inspired by themes from the exhibition. Participants will create hand-embellished and screen-printed boxes designed by the artists. Registration is required. For more information or to register, visit www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum/.

“Beginners and experienced printmakers alike will enjoy this project and take home their own original artwork,” event organizers say.

The UW Art Museum exhibits, preserves and interprets visual culture from around the world to engage academic, local, state, national and global communities. The museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 E. Willett Drive in Laramie. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday hours are extended to 7 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, call Michelle Sunset, director of curatorial affairs, at (307) 766-6621 or email msunset@uwyo.edu.

For media inquiries, call Fred Hirschman, communications coordinator, at (307) 766-3497 or email fred.hirschman@uwyo.edu.