The integration of these art forms draws the audience into a multi-sensory experience making both the aural and the visual impact stronger and more meaningful. Rzewski’s work epitomizes the message of strength by unification in a musical context, and the paintings highlight and amplify the music’s organizational structure, resulting in a memorable, impactful realization of the message.
“This project challenged me to get out of my creative comfort zone,” Thompson said. “I can't thank my partner, Dr. Kathryn Fouse, enough for partnering with me on this project.”
This concert qualifies as a Fine Arts Experience (FAE) credit for UMHB students. The Fine Arts Experience program is designed to help students gain an appreciation for the fine arts in many forms during their time on campus. To this end, students are required to attend at least one designated Fine Arts Experience event each semester.
Fouse is Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the UMHB. In addition to her commitment to education, she maintains an active performing career with recent appearances in such venues as the World Piano Conference in Serbia and the soundSCAPE New Music Festival in Italy as well as throughout the United States. She holds degrees in Piano Performance from Baylor University, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and the University of North Texas.
Larry Thompson serves as Associate Dean and Professor of Art and Design at Samford University. Thompson holds a BFA in Art and Design from The University of Texas at San Antonio, and an MFA in Painting from The University of North Texas. In addition to this project, Aural Vision, Thompson's recent work includes The Infanttree Project, a year-long project, which opened on September 11, 2015 in Birmingham, culminated with pieces being exhibited at the Pentagon in September of 2016. The work examines the impact of war in post-9/11 America.
