Paradox of Place: On Walkabout With Gene Egger

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 9, 2016) Translating our naturalistic world to a two-dimensional rendering seems counterintuitive, but it is exactly this — the sketch — that D. Eugene Egger has embraced as his medium for teaching students about visualizing the world around them.

With this in mind, the College of Design at the University of Kentucky has invited Egger — The Patrick and Nancy Lathrop Professor Emeritus at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) School of Architecture + Design — to guide students on their own interpretive excursion in the Bluegrass region. Students, along with the community, are invited to view Egger's past works at Lexington's Downtown Arts Center with a free personal lecture by Egger from 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14.

"There is a conventional notion that sketches are marginally significant as preliminary efforts toward a final work of design," explains Egger. "This collection of sketches simply recognizes the valid, sometimes fragmented, layers embedded in any place."

His exhibit, "The Places of Place: Sketching the Encounter," running through Oct. 3, will be on display during the Gallery Hop from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16. Images in the exhibit include experiential sketches from Virginia, Europe, Central America and more. "The Places of Place" is free and open to the public.  

This exhibit is the first of many communal engagements planned by the College of Design. For Dean Mitzi Vernon, developing a fertile network within the community is one of her goals as she begins her second year at the helm of the college. With the college’s new tagline — 38°84° the power of place — as its compass, Vernon continues to find ways to celebrate Kentucky and embolden the College of Design.

"Kentucky is a place with an unsung song," said Mitzi Vernon, dean of the College of Design. "There is great opportunity here to build something new onto a rich history of place."

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

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