Ombré: Works by Massinissa Selmani, at KSU

The School of Art Collection & Galleries at Kent State University are excited to highlight several exhibits coming up this spring. In our KSU Downtown Gallery, 141 East Main Street, Kent, Ohio, is Ombré: Works by Massinissa Selmani, on view March 20 through May 30.

Ombré (Jl:) showcases several works from artist Massinissa Selmani (b. 1980, Algiers; active between France and Algeria), with a focus on the relationship between object and shadow. Through modest compositions shaped as much by void as by images, Selmani reveals the psychological weight of daily living. Buildings, figures, and objects from his past mingle with snippets from the present, and both are collaged into surreal scenes that often find their compositions in the balance of light and dark.

Selmani is internationally recognized for his creative approach to drawing as it expands to print and video formats. He was a finalist for the Marcel Duchamp Prize in 2023, and received an honorable mention from curator Okwui Enwezor at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015. He was also the winner of the Art Collector Prize (France) and the SAM Art Projects Prize for Contemporary Art (France) in 2016.

Massinissa Selmani was born and raised in Algiers, Algeria. He now lives and works between Tours, France, and Tizi-Ouzou, Algiers. Living between France and Algeria, Selmani witnesses the ongoing tense relationship between these nations and peoples. Although Algeria has been independent from France since 1962, the shadows of the past in both countries continue to impact their senses of self and current socio-political dynamics.

An opening program and virtual conversation between artist and curator will be held at noon on Friday, April 17. For more information, see the exhibition website at galleries.kent.edu.

Other upcoming exhibits include Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibitions and the Master of Arts Group Exhibition from March 31 through April 10, Bachelor of Arts Capstone from April 14 through April 16, and BFA Thesis Exhibitions from April 21 through May 1. Please check our website for details. All thesis and capstone exhibits are held in the Center for the Visual Arts, 325 Terrace Drive, Kent, Ohio.

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ART COLLECTIONS AND GALLERIES/
CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS
325 Terrace Drive
Kent, Ohio 44242
galleries.kent.edu
330.672.1369

EVENTS:

Ombré: Works by Massinissa Selmani, March 20–May 30. Opening program noon Friday, April 17

Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibitions & Master of Arts Group Exhibition, March 31–April 10

Bachelor of Arts Capstone, April 14-16

BFA Thesis Exhibitions, April 21–May 1