Artists from a variety of disciplines will present work as part of the symposium, which this year celebrates the theme “Making the Unseen Visible.” The symposium will feature theatre, dance and musical performances, as well as lectures, literary readings, gallery exhibitions and a variety of other presentations.
The symposium takes place every four years to showcase the work of artists, writers and scholars, and to give both students and community members opportunities to ask vital questions and participate in conversations about artistic process.
The 2023 Birke Symposium endeavors to explore the ability to illuminate hidden truths and opportunities for discovery, said Jack Colclough, professor of theatre and committee chairman for the Birke Fine Arts Symposium.
“The semester-long calendar of events will explore practices and experiences that often go unseen — by ourselves, by society, by history, or perhaps by the audience. It is an invitation into the creative process of making art,” he said. “The line-up for this year’s Birke Fine Arts Symposium is rich in contributions from across the entire College of Arts and Media, as well as the Department of English.”
“The years since the last Birke Fine Arts Symposium have provided thought-provoking experiences for all of society,” said Dr. Wendell Dobbs, interim dean of the College of Arts and Media. “This year’s slate of presentations and exhibits demonstrates once again the ability of the arts to draw to our attention the nature of the human condition. I think the public will be amazed and moved by the artists’ and scholars’ creativity and communication.”
Presented by the Marshall University College of Arts and Media, the Birke Fine Arts Symposium is made possible by the generosity of Helen Birke and her daughter, Julie, through the Birke Fine Arts Symposium Endowment.
The schedule is as follows:
- Jan. 9-May 5 (with a reception planned for 4 p.m. Feb. 2) — “Optimism in Appalachia: Reclaiming Hope through Artwork, Crafts and Poetry” gallery exhibition, Drinko Library.
- Jan. 19 — “Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place,” a virtual presentation and discussion by author Neema Avashia, 4 p.m. in Room 402 of Drinko Library. Presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
- Jan. 23-Feb. 9 (with a reception planned for 4 p.m. Jan. 31) — “Celebrating Black Contributions in American Life and History: An Exhibition of Student-Designed Posters,” Visual Arts Center. Sponsored by the Dr. Carter G. Woodson Lyceum at Marshall.
- Jan. 23-Feb. 17 — “Simulacrum: How to Make Money (While Destroying Photographs),” a gallery exhibition in the Visual Arts Center.*
- Jan. 26 — Artist talk with photographer Ariel Wilson, 5 p.m., Room 209 of the Visual Arts Center.
- Feb. 16 — “Love and Loss: The Silent Struggle,” a concert featuring Oliver Worthington, baritone, and Johan Botes on piano, 6:30 p.m. at Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church.
- Feb. 27 — “A Choreographer’s Perspective: An Evening with Donald Laney,” a dance performance artist’s talk, 7:30 p.m. at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse.
- March 20 — “Radical Empathy and Southern Hospitality: The Way Forward for the Arts,” an artist talk, 4 p.m. at the Marshall University Rec Center.
- March 31 — “Heard But Not Seen: The African American Voice Within the Musical Landscape,” a concert featuring Daniel Washington, 7:30 p.m. at Smith Recital Hall.
- April 1 — An artist talk with singer Daniel Washington, 10 a.m. at Smith Recital Hall.
- April 4 — Alys Smith Symposium on Women Professionals in Arts and Media, a panel discussion, 7 p.m. in Room 209 of the Visual Arts Center.
- April 13 — “Naming the Unnamed, Speaking the Unspoken: A Public Reading and Conversation with Neema Avashia and Rahul Mehta,” an authors’ reading and discussion at 7:30 p.m. in the Shawkey Room of the Memorial Student Center. Presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
A reception will follow all Birke Symposium presentations.
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*Please use caution when making reproductions of United State Currency. The U.S. federal government has the exclusive authority to print or coin United States currency. Currency produced anywhere other than the two U.S. Mints operated by the Department of the Treasury, along with any valid currency that has been fraudulently altered, is considered counterfeit. Producing or distributing counterfeit money, or knowingly attempting to use counterfeit money, is a criminal offense under federal law. See generally, 18 U.S. Code Chapter 25- Counterfeiting and Forgery.