April 2014

Spartanburg Art Museum in SC Offers Works by Diana Farfan4

The Spartanburg Art Museum in Spartanburg, SC, will present Bread and Circus, a new exhibition of surrealist ceramic sculptures by Diana Farfan, on view from Apr. 11 through May 16, 2014. A reception will be held on Apr. 11, from 6-8pm, with a gallery talk by the artist at 6:30pm.

Diana Farfan was born in Bogotá, Colombia where she received her BFA from the National University of Colombia. She completed her training closer to home, in Columbia, SC, where she received her MFA in Ceramics from the University of South Carolina. Farfan currently resides and works in Greenville, SC.

Bread and Circus, which derives its name from the famous quote by Roman satirist Juvenal, refers to a superficial means of satisfying or sedating the masses. The circus theme woven throughout the playful menagerie of ceramic toys, dolls, and marionettes, references this political distraction via spectacle. The sculptures in the exhibit hold a strong socio-political connotation, as well as a hefty dose of humor.

Farfan is a master of straddling the line between the playful and the serious. Her pieces, while often beautifully and whimsically created, ask more of us. They tackle major themes such as the human condition, the human body, and how we connect with ourselves and with each other. By playfully manipulating the clay and distorting classical ideas of anatomy, Farfan is able to mold not only her sculptures, but also the way in which we view the themes they evoke.

This exhibition is made possible in part with funding from the South Carolina Arts Commission and the Arts Partnership of Spartanburg.

For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Museum at 864/582-7616 or visit (www.spartanartmuseum.org).

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