Prof. Emeritus Amy Arntson invited to Florence Biennale
Released: November 23, 2005
University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Professor Emeritus Amy E. Arntson will travel to Tuscany, Italy to present three paintings at the fifth Florence Biennale of Contemporary Art held at the Fortezza da Basso, Dec. 3-11.
Arntson will exhibit three paintings from her “Waters of the Great Lakes” watercolor series in which she focuses on light, texture, shape and movement of water.
“The Florence Biennale is among the most prestigious and important international art festivals in the world,” said John Heyer, dean of the College of Arts and Communication. “We are delighted that Professor Emeritus Arnstson is representing our college and university in this major event.” Arntson taught art and design for 22 years and retired from UW-Whitewater in 2004.
Arntson bases her paintings of water on direct observation. She travels to national parks in the Great Lakes region, the Pacific Ocean and the Persian Gulf for inspiration. Her work, while highly realistic, also has a strong sense of design structure and abstraction.
“The use of figure/ground relationships throughout the 20th century fascinates me, and is the structural underpinning of my work with transparent watercolor,” Arntson said. “It is a significant honor to be invited to exhibit this work in the Florence Biennale.”
Arntson is one of 768 artists from 74 countries participating in this international exhibition. Exhibitors include Christo and Jeanne-Claude, as well as one of the founders of Op Art and celebrated artist Richard Anuszkiewicz.
The Florence Biennale is recognized by the United Nations as an official partner in the program “Dialogue Among Nations.” The Biennale, organized by Arte Studio, functions in the belief that artists from all over the world, despite their differences of language and faith, will find a common language in art to voice their cultural values. Detailed information about events and the artists can be found at www.artestudio.net.
For more information, contact Arntson at arntsona@uww.edu.- Jonathan Kozlowski,kozlowskjd05@uww.edu
