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Artist Lecture: Malcolm Mobutu Smith
William M. Staerkel Planetarium
2400 W. Bradley Ave.
Champaign, Illinois 61821
(217) 351-2568
Category
Hours
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The Giertz Gallery at Parkland College will present an artist lecture by
Malcolm Mobutu Smith on Thursday, February 5, in the Staerkel Planetarium.
This event is free and open to students and the community.
Mobutu Smith’s artworks are guided by improvisations, fluctuating between volumetric forms and graphic flatness. His ceramics, inspired by graffiti, comic books, and organic abstraction, often merge wheel-thrown and hand-built elements to reinterpret cups, bottles, and vases. His background informs his practice, blending influences from hip hop, jazz, identity politics, CAD/CAM, printmaking, and drawing.
An Assistant Professor of Ceramic Art at Indiana University, his work has appeared in venues in New York City, Kansas City, Beijing, and Taiwan. He has also participated in residences including Haystack, Watershed, and the Robert McNamara Foundation.
Smith’s lecture at 1:15 pm will be followed by a demonstration in the ceramics studio.
His work is currently featured in the gallery’s "Ceramics Biennial: Detour,"
curated by Tyler Lotz and Albion Stafford, until Saturday, February 7.
The Giertz Gallery fosters critical thinking and community dialogue through contemporary art.
The college’s educational programming encourages deeper understanding and meaningful engagement,
offering opportunities to interact with both artwork and artists.
The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday,
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, and noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
[Image: Malcolm Mobutu Smith, Heyo Cloud Scoop, stoneware, 5" x 8.5" x 4", 2023]