Arts & Culture

Improvisational Photographer Nina Katchadourian Opens May Lecture Series

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 2, 2015)  Nina Katchadourian, a photographer known for her inventive and improvisational photographs, will open this year's Robert C. May Photography Lecture Series, organized by the University of Kentucky Art MuseumThe lecture begins 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, in the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. Both the lecture and exhibition of Katchadourian’s work, currently on display as part of a reinstallation of UK's permanent collection through Dec. 23, are free and open to the public.

A profound spirit of invention distinguishes Nina Katchadourian’s work in photography, installation, video and sound. She has exploited a diverse set of subjects and situations over the years: spider webs in the forest, the color of cars in parking lots, and the linguistic possibilities of stacked library books, to name a few. One of her most acclaimed projects is "Seat Assignment," in which the artist uses materials available during airplane trips (magazines, seat belts, pretzels, tissues and toilet paper) to craft unique images taken with her iPhone.

Katchadourian's work has been exhibited at many art institutions, including MoMA PS1, Serpentine Galleries, Saatchi Gallery, Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum, SculptureCenter and Palais de Tokyo.

The May Lecture Series explores photography's roots in the 19th century and its reinvention in the digital world. The lecture series is made possible through the Robert C. May Photography Endowment, a museum fund established in 1994 for the support of acquisitions and programs relating to photography. Other speakers coming to town as part of the series include Deborah Willis and Paul Shambroom.

The mission of the UK Art Museum, part of the UK College of Fine Arts, is to promote the understanding and appreciation of art to enhance the quality of life for people of Kentucky through collecting, exhibiting, preserving and interpreting outstanding works of visual art from all cultures. Home to a collection of more than 4,800 objects including American and European paintings, drawings, photographs, prints and sculpture, the museum presents both special exhibitions and shows of work from its permanent collection. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu