School of Art, Art History & Design Director Francisco Souto opened his newest exhibition, “Diàspora” at the Kiechel Fine Art Gallery in Lincoln on Oct. 18.
The exhibition continues through Nov. 22 at the gallery, which is located at 1208 O St.
The work in the exhibition continues Souto’s response to the reality affecting his native land of Venezuela.
“Diàspora” means a dispersion of people from their original homeland.
Souto writes in his artist’s statement: “A rampant sociopolitical tension, economic decay, violence and scarcity has created a diàspora by a failed state, which denies its people of basic access to food, water and healthcare. This political and ideological malicious strategy of social control to stay in power has forced millions of Venezuelans to migrate creating a global humanitarian tragedy.”
Souto was born in Venezuela and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Herron School of Art and his Master of Fine Arts degree from The Ohio State University. He has participated in a wide range of national and international exhibitions throughout the United States, Europe, Venezuela, Russia, Egypt, China and Japan. The master printmaker has shared his expertise through workshops and as a visiting artist in the U.S. and abroad, garnering several awards and grants. His work is in several public and private collections around the world.
He became the Director of the School of Art, Art History & Design in 2017.