Out To Pasture: 2021 MFA Graduation Exhibition
April 02 – May 07, 2021
USF Contemporary Art Museum + Online
Out To Pasture graphic by Clo Labelle
This annual exhibition features Master’s Thesis work by the 3rd year Master of Fine Arts candidates in the USF School of Art and Art History. The 2021 MFA artists are Bonnie Mae Carrow, Leonidas Dezes, JD Hardy, Laura Pérez Insua, Nadia Ivanova, Lisa McCarthy, Luke Myers, Erin Oliver, Chase Palmer, Maxwell Parker, Andrés Ramírez, Jonathan Talit, and Ian Wilson.
Out To Pasture is supported in part by the USF School of Art and Art History, the Stanton Storer Embrace the Arts Foundation, MFAO, and CAM Club.
ONLINE EXHIBITION
Nostalgia & Now
// Bonnie Mae Carrow // JD Hardy // Nadia Ivanova // Andrés Ramírez //
Carnal Physicality
// Chase Palmer // Jonathan Talit //
Putting The Cartography Before The Horse
// Luke Myers // Erin Oliver // Ian Wilson //
That's Absurd!
// Leonidas Dezes // Laura Pérez Insua // Lisa McCarthy // Maxwell Parker //
EXHIBITION BROCHURE
View and download a pdf of the Out To Pasture exhibition brochure, with the exhibition checklist, artists' statements, and texts by USFCAM Deputy Director Noel Smith and USF School of Art and Art History Director Wallace Wilson. (5MB)
EXHIBITION CATALOGUE
View and download a pdf of the 68 page Out To Pasture exhibition catalogue produced by the MFA artists, with texts by writer SK West, USF MA Alumna 2019. (16MB)
VIRTUAL TOUR
Explore this virtual 360 degree interactive walkthrough of Out To Pasture, the 2021 MFA Graduation Exhibition. For the best experience click the View Fullscreen icon in the lower right of the window. Virtual tour Courtesy of USF 3D Access Lab, Dr. Laura Harrison, and Elliot Alvarez.
VIDEO REPLAY - VIRTUAL GUIDED TOUR
Replay of April 9, 2021 virtual guided tour of Out To Pasture: 2021 MFA Graduation Exhibition led by writer SK West, USF MA Alumna 2019. Live camera by Leonidas Dezes.
VIDEO REPLAY - MFA PANEL DISCUSSION
Replay of April 22, 2021 virtual panel discussion. Hear from the 2021 MFAs about their practice and thesis projects in the Out To Pasture exhibition. Moderated by Amanda Poss, MA, Gallery Director, HCC Art Galleries; Supported by CAM Club.
WHEN THE BULLS ARE PUT OUT TO PASTURE
by SK West
Merriam Webster defines “out to pasture” in two ways: 1. To bring animals to a large area of land to feed on the grass there; 2. To force (someone) to leave a job because of old age, sometimes used of things.
The idiom comes from the practice of retiring draft animals too old to work by letting them spend their last weeks of life grazing in the pasture, waiting for them to quietly die. It is both a charming wordplay on this class of USF Bulls, and a slight sleight at the institutional powers that be. To be put out to pasture is to be left in peace after years of work; it is also to be ignored until some inevitable conclusion.
After helplessly witnessing the previous class be dealt a series of blows as the virus initially emerged in 2020, and now making their way to their own graduation, this herd of MFA students have been all but grazing during this pandemic.
To say these Bulls have been having a cow would be udder nonsense – rather, they’ve been working hard to be among the best in their field. This exhibition proves that the grass is truly greener where you water it.
In putting together a catalog for the grand finale show of MFA students, it is customary for the graduating artists to have individual essays about their work written by graduate art historians, which are then compiled into a neat publication. This has been the case for the last few years in order to further engage in a dialogue between the people making art and those studying the history of it – an exercise in writing about a living person who, and whose loved ones, is going to read what is written about them.
For those with a background in writing about history, this kind of assignment can seem daunting as there is no longer the cover of anonymity, nor is there the buffer between death and interpretation. The writer’s risk, certainly, is higher than a typical research project where even if the artist is living, there is minimal concern about them reading it.
As the editor of the catalog for the class of 2020, Battin' A Hundred, I learned firsthand how to help my fellow art historians navigate the task of writing about a real person who can, and will, read about themselves through the art historian’s lens. It is a unique opportunity at this level of academia that requires negotiating the boundaries between interpretation and intention, and which enables the writer to find their voice in harmony with the work.
When gathering feedback from all parties, I found that the art historian would often reveal a perspective or connection previously unknown about the artist’s work; the art historian helped articulate and enliven the works; the art historian gained a new appreciation for the people who make art, and vice versa. The results are spectacular.
This year’s version, however, will not come together like those catalogs. This is a one-woman-writer show. I have been entrusted to put together some kind of text to accompany the lucky 13 artists’ grand finale of graduate school; my project is taken with deep sincerity and wholehearted appreciation to the artists for their time, work, and permission to be punny.
The artists found connections between one another and a selection of themes, which will guide the catalog’s configuration. They can be read in, or out of, order and are meant as an introduction to the artists and their practice, rather than as a final word.
That, my friend, is for you to have.
Enjoy,
SK West USF MA Art History Alumna 2019
INSTALLATION VIEWS
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Jonathan Talit. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Jonathan Talit. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Jonathan Talit. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Jonathan Talit. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Luke Myers. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Luke Myers. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Luke Myers. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Luke Myers. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Chase Palmer, Jonathan Talit, Andrés Ramírez. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Jonathan Talit, Andrés Ramírez. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Jonathan Talit. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Jonathan Talit. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Jonathan Talit, Chase Palmer. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Chase Palmer. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Chase Palmer. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Chase Palmer. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Bonnie Mae Carrow. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Bonnie Mae Carrow. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Bonnie Mae Carrow. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Bonnie Mae Carrow. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Bonnie Mae Carrow. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Erin Oliver, Bonnie Mae Carrow. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Erin Oliver, Bonnie Mae Carrow. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Erin Oliver,. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Erin Oliver,. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Erin Oliver,. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Erin Oliver,. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Erin Oliver,. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Erin Oliver,. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Erin Oliver,. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Nadia Ivanova, Erin Oliver. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Nadia Ivanova, Erin Oliver, Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Nadia Ivanova. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Nadia Ivanova. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Nadia Ivanova. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Nadia Ivanova. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Nadia Ivanova. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Nadia Ivanova. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Lisa McCarthy, Laura Pérez Insua, Nadia Ivanova. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Laura Pérez Insua. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by JD Hardy. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Lisa McCarthy. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Lisa McCarthy. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Lisa McCarthy. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Lisa McCarthy. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Lisa McCarthy. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Ian Wilson, Lisa McCarthy. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Lisa McCarthy, Laura Pérez Insua, Nadia Ivanova, Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Lisa McCarthy, Laura Pérez Insua, Nadia Ivanova, Ian Wilson. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Lisa McCarthy, Laura Pérez Insua, Nadia Ivanova. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Maxwell Parker, Lisa McCarthy, Leonidas Dezes. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Left to right: Work by Maxwell Parker, Leonidas Dezes, Jonathan Talit. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Installation view of Out To Pasture exhibition at USF Contemporary Art Museum. Work by Maxwell Parker. Photo: Will Lytch.
Out To Pasture: 2021 MFA Graduation Exhibition is supported in part by the USF School of Art and Art History, the Stanton Storer Embrace the Arts Foundation, MFAO, and CAM Club.