The Kansas State University Department of Art will present the exhibition “In Passing” by Flor Widmar from February 11-20, 2019 in the Mark A. Chapman Gallery, Willard Hall. A gallery reception will be held on Friday, February 15 at 6 pm. Admission is free and open to the public. The gallery is open Monday-Friday, 10 am - 5 pm.

Flor Widmar is the current K-State Ceramics Area Artist in Residence for the academic year 2018/2019. She was born in Oceanside, California and was raised in Chihuahua, Mexico. Flor earned an MFA at Cranbrook Academy of Art and a BFA from Sierra Nevada College. She has attended residencies domestically and internationally; exhibiting in Denmark, Japan and in numerous venues across North America.

This body of work stems from the elaborate memorials made to honor and mourn those lost; the beautiful yet tragic structures built on our highways and country roads in the U.S. and many other nations. In recent years controversy has arisen around these unsanctioned cenotaphs with authorities arguing distraction and danger to drivers while citizens claim first amendment rights. In many places local and regional governments have stepped in to regulate, restructure and remove them. The future of these road side remembrances is uncertain. The forms, texture and objects in this exhibition are comprised of her research, documentation, personal relation and interpretation surrounding this ancient tradition and its contemporary plight.

These events are presented and funded by KSU SGA Fine Arts Fee.  

This event is a part of the Kansas State University Department of Art Visiting Artists Series for the 2018-2019 Season. 

The Mark A. Chapman Gallery on the first floor of Willard Hall opened in 2005. Cheryl Mellenthin and Mark Chapman funded a complete renovation of the former Willard Hall gallery, increasing the exhibition space to over 1,400 square feet along with 400 square feet dedicated to exhibition preparation and kitchen facilities.

The Department of Art hosts BFA and MFA student exhibitions in the gallery as part of graduation requirements each semester. The technology friendly gallery serves not only exhibition purposes, but also provides a location for an active Visiting Artist Lecture Program.