The Church Fine Arts Mural Courtyard is a communal space and home to two Department of Art, Art History, and Design projects.
On the upper patio, American artist John Roloff's 1985 sculpture Lahontan Group II: Talking Tree / Glacial Epoch (we'd like this title in italics if possible) rests atop a custom planter system filled with plants native to Northern Nevada.
This site-specific work was designed and created for the Church Fine Arts building in 1985 and is part of the Lilley Museum's Permanent Art Collection. The outdoor sculpture (with native plants) was displayed near the building on Virginia Street from 1985-2013 when the sculpture was moved during construction. The sculpture remained in storage until it was moved indoors onto newly fashioned planters for 2024 Sheppard Contemporary exhibition Wet Incantation: Poetics of Water and Language (we'd like this title in italics if possible). After the conclusion of the exhibition, Lahontan Group II (we'd like this title in italics if possible) was moved onto the east patio for students to enjoy.
Behind Lahontan Group II is the Soft Power mural by Eric J. García, designed and painted with support from the School of the Arts, the College of Liberal Arts Diversity Fund, and the Hilliard Endowment.
This project was designed as a site-specific mural and broadside by Eric J. García, the 2024 Artist-in-Residence in the Department of Art, Art History, & Design at the University of Nevada, Reno. His work utilizes a central theme of water in Northern Nevada, and water in general as a “soft power,” comparing the arts as a force for social and political change. Using iconic casino and motel signage, Garcia has modified the original signs to include translations of the word “water” in both Paiute and Spanish.
This project was produced for the Church Fine Arts building in concurrence with the University sesquicentennial celebrations, as well as the 60th year of Black Rock Press. Initiated by the Visiting Artist Committee, the project was organized by Art Department Chair Kelly Chorpening and Committee Chair Austin Pratt, who led the Wall Works class with students Lindsey Aker, Abbay Anderson, Victor Clavel, Sam Clement, Laney Creekbaum, Taylor Ford, Abigail Kermgard, Gabriella Poulsen, Callie Sumsion, and Rachel Weltz. The broadside was printed at Black Rock Press by Tanya Gutierrez, Kelsey Reiman, Meg Pohlod and students in Wall Works. The text in the mural references wood type from the Barbara Anne Kelly Historic Wood Type and Printer’s Cuts Collection, and the actual type was used to print the broadside.
Thank you to students, faculty, and staff at the University who helped with this project, and to the support from the School of the Arts, the College of Liberal Arts Diversity Fund and the Hilliard Endowment.
Muralist: Eric J. Garcia
Coordinator: Austin Pratt, University Galleries Curator
Department of Art, Art History & Design Chair: Kelly Chorpening
Student Mural Assistants: Lindsey Aker, Abbay Anderson, Victor Clavel, Sam Clement, Laney Creekbaum, Taylor Ford, Aiyana Graham, Abigail Kermgard, Gabriella Poulsen, Callie Sumsion and Rachel Weltz.