Two Solo Exhibitions to Open May 1 at Bradbury Art Museum
JONESBORO – Two solo exhibitions will open at Bradbury Art Museum (BAM) at noon on Thursday, May 1. The two exhibitions will be “Chree Explorations” by Mandy Mooneyham and “Option C” by Andrew Fernandez. The exhibitions will be open alongside “Marks in Motion,” which opened on Thursday, March 13.
All three exhibitions will conclude with a closing reception from 5 until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11, which will be catered and free for the public to attend.
Work by Mooneyham, a Northeast Arkansas artist and Arkansas State University alumna, will be exhibited in “Chree Explorations.”
The show invites visitors into uncharted landscapes of thought and memory, explored through the motif of Mooneyham’s “chrees,” or chair-rooted trees. Mooneyham uses these as a visual metaphor for the way human minds grow, adapt and retain memories.
“Trees can grow, branch and adapt. They embody the fluid nature of the mind, constantly evolving and reaching toward new horizons. Chairs, commonplace yet integral to our daily lives, symbolize the structure and foundation upon which our memories are built,” said Mooneyham. “Together, the chair-rooted tree becomes an emblem of the constant interplay between the organic flow of thought and the constructed nature of memory.”
“Option C” is a solo exhibition of multimedia work from artist and educator Andrew Fernandez, who serves as visiting assistant professor of sculpture at A-State. He is an interdisciplinary artist who utilizes sculpture as a means to an end, and he is interested in the life of objects after they have been built.
The exhibition showcases a variety of sculptural works by Fernandez along with “May Your Tears of Sadness Be Filled with Joy,” a 2024 film that is a meditation on the creative process. The film will also be featured during a screening event in the Grand Hall of Fowler Center, 7- 8 p.m. Friday, May 2.
“We’re excited to end the spring semester with these shows, which are so connected to the incredible work being done at the A-State Department of Art + Design. One of these artists is an instructor on campus, and the other is an A-State alumna,” said Madeline McMahan, assistant director and curator at Bradbury Art Museum. “Both are living and making work here in our community. It’s important to celebrate that.”
The exhibitions will be on view during the museum’s standard hours, which are from noon until 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The museum will be open for extended hours from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, May 2, for study day. Students are invited to take advantage of BAM as a calm, quiet environment to prepare for their final examinations.
BAM is located in Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive. One may schedule a tour of the exhibitions by contacting McMahan, at mmcmahan@AState.edu or 870-972-3434. More details about these shows are available online at BradburyArtMuseum.org.
Andrew Fernandez
May Your Tears of Sadness Be Filled with Joy
(screencap still from digital video)
