VCUarts Lecture Series: Tobias Wofford, Ph.D.

Описание: VCU School of the Arts and the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU are pleased to share this lecture by VCUarts Associate Professor Tobias Wofford, Ph.D. Wofford shares reflections on artworks included in The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture, concurrently on view at the Smithsonian American Arts Museum in Washington, D.C. Hear how this groundbreaking exhibition examines the role of sculpture in understanding and constructing the concept of race in the United States. The exhibition brings together 82 sculptures created between 1792 and 2023, ranging in size from palm-sized coins to monumental statues created from diverse media such as bronze, marble, shoes, paper, and hair. Made by 70 different artists, the exhibition juxtaposes historical and contemporary works to invite dialogue and reflection on notions of power and identity in American art.

Wofford's research explores the meeting of globalization and identity in the art of the African Diaspora since the 1950s, as well as concepts of diversity and multiculturalism in art of the United States. To this effect, he has written on the multifaceted role of Africa in contemporary African American art, analyzing how Africa is invoked and interpreted within the context of shifting artistic and political movements in the United States. Wofford teaches courses that explore African American art and visual culture; art of the African Diaspora, and American art. Before joining VCUarts, Wofford was an Assistant professor at Santa Clara University. His research has been supported by fellowships from the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts and the Mellon Postdoctoral Program at Johns Hopkins University. He was also a Terra Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in American Art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C. Wofford received his Ph.D. and M.A. in art history from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Learn more about The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture exhibition: https://americanart.si.edu/exhibition...
Learn more about the VCUarts Lecture Series: https://arts.vcu.edu/research-work/le...