Mari Robles, the CEO of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, will be giving a free public lecture on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Ayres 120. According to Professor Eileen Macdonald of Chico State’s Art and Art History Department, “She will be speaking about the arts from her multifaceted experiences.”
The lecture is hosted by the Hopper Visiting Artist series.This will be the first time Robles visits Chico State. It will also be the first time in the past 20 years that a representative from the YBCA comes to speak.
Robles is the juror for the 69th Annual Student Art Exhibition.
“Each year the Art & Art History Department within the College of HFA organizes an annual student exhibition. We invite a juror (an art professional/expert) from beyond Chico to jury (which means curate/decide which artworks should be selected),” Macdonald said.
“The event highlights students’ artwork which is later exhibited in the Jacki Headley University Art Gallery. All students enrolled in art classes are eligible to submit artwork for jurying. It’s an opportunity to celebrate our students’ creative achievements, and provides them with the professional experience of applying to exhibitions,” Macdonald added.
Last year’s student art exhibition for the Chico State community and the public occurred in early April and lasted until mid-May. Specific dates and times for this year’s exhibition are not yet released.
As the new CEO of YBCA, Robles is currently leading the institution after a rocky season of artists protesting art censorship related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, museum shutdowns, financial deficits and departing staff. Robes has previous experience working at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and other museums, according to reporting from KQED.
“In all her roles, Robles has crafted 21st-century museum experiences with progressive approaches to pedagogy and engagement that support people, constituents, and broad networks of partners at the service of sustainable community-building, dialogue, civic participation, and social change.” Macdonald said.
More information about the event can be sought out via Eileen Macdonald at emacdonald1@csuchico.edu.
Elena Mendonsa can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com