For Immediate Release contact: Carol O’Sullivan

August 18, 2009 412-681-5449

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Announces Pittsburgh Print Group Show and Second Annual Exhibit Exchange with Center for Emerging Visual Artists

(Pittsburgh, PA) -- Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center of the Arts (PF/PCA) announces two additional exhibitions, along with the previously announced shows Garden of Earthly Delights by Artist of the Year, Tim Kaulen and The Miami Project by Emerging Artist of the Year, Dylan Vitone, set to open on September 25. Added to the lineup is Symbolon: Symbols and Self, a group show presented by the Pittsburgh Print Group, as well as The Exchange, the second exhibit exchange between PF/PCA and Philadelphia’s Center for Emerging Visual Artists (CFEVA). An opening reception will be held on Friday, September 25, from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. The reception is open to the public; a $5 donation is requested; free to members.

The Exchange is on view from September 25, 2009 through January 24, 2010.

This exhibit exchange with the Center for Emerging Visual Artists began during the 2008 Biennial, and the ongoing collaboration between PF/PCA and CFEVA strengthens the artistic dialogue between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It also provides a larger context and more exposure for regional artists.

In PCA’s galleries, 24 artists from the Philadelphia area will exhibit a variety of works that includes painting, sculpture, installation, photography, printmaking, and drawing. The selected artists are all part of CFEVA’s career development program, which is a two-year fellowship. They are: James B. Abbott, Maria Anasazi, Leslie Atik, Susan Benarcik, Gregory Brellochs, Danielle Bursk, Jennifer Chapman, Christopher Hondru, Brooke Hine, Keiko Miyamori, Brenna K. Murphy, Katie Murken, Sean O'Neil, Scott Pellnat, Peter Prusinowski, Cecelia Rembert, Kara Rennert, Paul Rider, Diane Savona, R. Noel Shaak, Marisha Simons, Daniel Traub, Ben Volta, and John Woodin.

The Pittsburgh artists (who were all part of PCA’s 2008 Biennial) took part in the Philadelphia exhibit at CFEVA, June 6 – July 22, 2009. They are: Josh Bonnett, Jenifer Cooney, Sun-Young Kang, Greg Karkowsky, Denise McMorrow Mahone, Juliana Morris, Robert Raczka, Dylan Vitone, Barbara Weissberger, and Adam Welch.

Katie Murken, one of the CFEVA artists, will take part in a discussion as part of the new Dialogue series at PCA, October 28 at 6:30 pm. Murken is originally from Pittsburgh and currently lives and works in Philadelphia. Trained as a printmaker and book artist, Murken also creates site-specific installations, often exploring the role of books and libraries in today’s digital climate. She received her MFA in printmaking and book arts from The University of the Arts. Her work is included in the collections of Temple University Library in Philadelphia and the J. Edgar Louise S. Monroe Library in New Orleans.

Founded in Philadelphia in 1983, CFEVA’s mission is to coordinate a stronger support system for visual artists, to advance the careers of the many deserving artists in the region, to promote relationships between artists and the communities in which they live, and to increase access to visual art. More information about Philadelphia’s Center For Emerging Visual Artists is available at: www.cfeva.org

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Also on view in the galleries is Symbolon: Symbols and Self, a group show presented by the Pittsburgh Print Group, an artist guild affiliated with PCA. Open to printmakers throughout the region, Symbolon: Symbols and Self explores the concept of personal symbolism by depicting self through a combination of both literal and symbolic likeness.

The word “symbol” is derived from the Ancient Greek word “symbolon,” a representative object deliberately broken in two. Today, a symbol can be a material object representing something immaterial, or the form (line, shape, color) used to communicate otherwise inexpressible visions of reality.

Clayton F. Merrell, Associate Professor of Art at Carnegie Mellon University, is the juror for the Print Group’s exhibit. An accomplished artist and educator, Merrell is PCA's 2005 Artist of the Year.

The Pittsburgh Print Group is a non-profit organization of artists who work in all fine art printmaking media. Founded in 1972, the Print Group is dedicated to artistic excellence and the perpetuation of printmaking as an art form by providing its members with exhibition, education and networking opportunities. More information is available at www.pittsburghprintgroup.com.

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Pittsburgh Center for the Arts is located at 6300 Fifth Ave. For more information call 412-361-0873, or visit www.pittsburgharts.org.