Associate Professor of Art Francisco Souto has been invited to serve as the inaugural Seward Memorial Guest Artist at Wichita State University. He will be in residence April 1-7.
The Seward Memorial Guest Artist program invites a nationally and internationally recognized artist to spend a week as an artist-in-residence, working with students and faculty in the creation of a limited edition fine art print.
The C.A. Seward Memorial Guest Printmaker Program is named for Seward, who founded The Prairie Print Maker Society in 1930. He envisioned a strong, innovative center for printmaking and helped build it in the Wichita community.
Along with the production of the print, Souto will also have a solo exhibition of his work at WSU's Clayton Staples Gallery and will present a public lecture at the Wichita Art Museum.
"The significance of a residency of this nature is the potential for new understanding about my work in the field of contemporary printmaking and its place among fellow professionals and institutions," Souto said. "Being invited to be the inaugural visiting artist for a program of this nature is an honor."
The print he creates will incorporate layers of printed information made from new plates created by new techniques and printed experiments.
"I can't predict how this print will look, nor would I want to confine my development to preconceived visual outcomes," Souto said. "Such conceptual developments and technical experimentation will have a revolutionary impact as I seek to create visually rich and compelling images that allude to this artistic experience."
Born in Venezuela, Souto received a B.F.A. from Herron School of Art and an M.F.A. from The Ohio State University. His honors include more than 45 international and national awards, including the International Award at the British International Print Exhibition, a special prize at the 7th International Triennial of Prints in Japan and a selected prize at the 12th International Biennial of Prints and Drawing in China.
Souto's work has been exhibited in more than 80 national and international venues in the last nine years.
Souto joined the UNL faculty in 2004.