CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) — The Giertz Gallery at Parkland College will host a lecture by Malcolm Mobutu Smith next month in the Staerkel Planetarium.
Mobutu Smith’s work is guided by improvisations, moving between volumetric forms and graphic flatness. His ceramics, inspired by graffiti, comic books, and organic abstraction, often merge wheel-thrown and hand-built elements to reinterpret cups, bottles, and vases.
An assistant professor of ceramic art at Indiana University, his work has appeared in venues in New York City, Kansas City, Beijing, and Taiwan. He has also participated in residences including Haystack, Watershed, and the Robert McNamara Foundation.
The lecture will be on Thursday, February 5 at 1:15 pm, and will be followed by a demonstration in the ceramics studio. His work is currently featured in the gallery’s “Ceramics Biennial: Detour,” curated by Tyler Lotz and Albion Stafford, until Saturday, February 7.
The Giertz Gallery fosters critical thinking and community dialogue through contemporary art. The college’s educational programming encourages deeper understanding and meaningful engagement, offering opportunities to interact with both artwork and artists.
The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, and noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
To find the gallery when classes are in session, use the M6 parking lot on the north side of campus. Enter through Door X-7, turn left, and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point of the first floor, where the gallery is located.
Learn more about the exhibition at parkland.edu/gallery.