Associate Professor of Art Beth Edwards says she recognizestalent when she sees it. And she is ready to show University ofMemphis students, faculty and staff what she believes is beautifulart.
Edwards chose Matvey Levenstein to come to The U of M campus todiscuss his artwork April 17 at 7 p.m. in Manning Auditorium, room201 in a free, open lecture.
Edwards said Levenstein's work is beautiful and so realistic --people would enjoy this look at his incredible paintings.
"Even though his work is strange looking to the eye, a personcan get caught up into it because it is so realistic and beautifulat the same time," Edwards said.
Levenstein was recently awarded the Prix De Rome prize, and aspart of the award will study art in Rome for a year.
Levenstein lives in New York City but was born in thethen-Soviet Union. He studied at the Moscow Architectural Institutefrom 1977 to 1979 and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree fromYale University in 1987.
He has an extensive exhibition record, including two solo showsat the Jack Tilton gallery in New York.
His work has appeared in group exhibitions at the DrawingCenter, White Columns, the Sculpture Center, and Ace, Matthew Marksand Marianne Boesky Galleries, all in New York, as well as at theModern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas, and the Museum ofContemporary Art in Miami.
In addition, Levenstein's work has been reviewed in Art Forum,The Miami Herald, the Village Voice, Arts Magazine and The New YorkTimes.
Edwards said she felt she had to invite Levenstein to the campusbecause his work is so interesting and unique.
"It is wonderful how he uses light in his paintings, when hepaints different areas in a house like a living room," Edward said."It is just pleasing to the eye."
Edwards invites people to attend Levenstein's lecture.
"People should be present at Levenstein's lecture because he hasa talent that will motivate those who are interested or into theworld of art," Edwards said.
