By Dr. Ghislaine Lewis – Critograph Advisor
An image from Elena Peteva’s “Of Ash and Light,” at the Daura Museum of Art.
The University of Lynchburg will feature the Daura Museum of Art’s new exhibit, “Of Ash and Light,” as part of its Homecoming and Family Weekend from October 18-20, 2024. The exhibit features artist Elena Peteva.
Peteva’s artist statement says, “Of Ash and Light explores individual, social and global states through allegorical representation. Subject and material become metaphor, creating a net of meaning – a charcoal drawing of hands about to reach into a dark tangle or an installation of a mound of ash. I seek a distilled representation that goes beyond the surface and invites the viewer to slow down, look closer and reflect.”
Peteva was a graduate school advisor and mentor of Allen TenBussschen, the chair of the Art Department, who has significantly influenced his work and artistic practice.
Museum Director Brooke Marcy said, “Once I saw her drawings and read her artist statement, I jumped at the chance to bring her to the University of Lynchburg. Her technical strengths are outstanding, and her conceptual ideas are thought-provoking, which I saw as an exceptional opportunity for our students to learn from and an excellent opportunity to have the students meet their mentor’s mentor.”
The Daura Museum is known for its diverse and thought-provoking exhibitions and plays a key role in enhancing the academic and cultural life of the campus community.
Marcy said, “Visual thinking skills are vital for critical thinking. Elena Peteva’s exhibition encourages students from all disciplines and visitors alike to engage with it in multiple ways—examining the surface, exploring the content, and creating connections on different levels.”
Homecoming and Family Weekend will allow alumni, students, and families to engage with Peteva’s work and the museum’s permanent collections. The museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Peteva will also return to the Museum on October 30 to give an artist lecture at 5 p.m. and, on October 31 will have one-on-one critiques with the advanced art students.
To learn more about Peteva’s work visit: https://www.lynchburg.edu/news/2024/08/of-ash-and-light-opens-aug-29-at-daura-museum-of-art/
