Art show to coincide with the library’s exhibition objectives
The Student Commercial Art Show has come and gone at Utah State University. Now the USU community has an opportunity to see artwork by a professional graphic artist at the USU Merrill Library through March 31. The library has organized an exhibit of graphic artwork by former USU student R.P. Bissland, according to a recent press release.
The show titled “Lifting the Veil: The Graphic Art of R.P. Bissland” will feature a wide variety of artwork, from posters for a local band to T-shirts for a local running club to publications done for USU, according to the press release. An interesting aspect of the show is that it focuses on the artistic value as well as the function of printed material like posters and newsletters, said the Merrill Library’s exhibiton program director, Rose Milovich.
“Ephemera (printed materials that have a short life) is usually valued for its function not its aesthetics,” Milovich said. Bissland views even disposable items as having potential to be beautiful creations, which is “one of the striking things about Bob’s work,” Milovich said.
“The exhibit is being held in the library because it fits nicely into the focus of our program, which is an exhibtion program – the history of the book,” Milovich said.
“The printing arts and graphic design are very important aspects of book history,” Milovich said in a recent press release. “Graphic art emcompases not only images and illustrations, but typeography and the aesthetics of type design and boarders. [Bissland] is masterful in orchestrating illustrations, type and ink on paper.”
Through this art show and through forthcoming exhibits, the library hopes to educate the public on the process of book design and printing, Milovich said. For example, part of the show depicts the steps a designer goes through in designing and producing a catalog for a client, Milovich said.
Also, the exhibit functions to “familiarize people with some of the outstanding local talent in graphic and book design,” Milovich said.
Bissland has resided in Cache Valley for more than 30 years, and runs a graphic design company: Slanting Rain, Milovich said. Though he has designed extensively for USU and describes himself as a “small-town graphic designer,” Bissland’s clientele includes customers in New York and Malibu, Calif., according to a press release.
Bissland’s unique artistic style incorporates bold colors and hard, geometric edges, which the artist noticed and admired in Mexican comic books, according to a text panel within the art show. The show features artwork accompanied by sound and kinesthetic art (artwork that moves) in addition to visual images.
The exhibit is free to the public and is open during the USU Merrill Library’s normal hours.