Hite Art Institute presents lightbox installations, videos by internationally known printmaker

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville’s Hite Art Institute will present the work of international printmaker Joshua Watts Dec. 4-Feb. 6 at the Cressman Center for the Arts. “Resonant Disclosures” is Watts’ first U.S. exhibition since relocating to Dubai in 2008, where he is an assistant professor of printmaking at Zayed University. Watts’ work explores notions of location, viewer engagement, personal histories and the discovery of identity through interaction with others. The exhibition will highlight his recent lightbox installations, which feature illuminated prints on glass or other layered materials. The images have a transitory feel, which defy an easy reading of distance, space or ideas. “All of my work is an exploration of the many ways we can perceive and interact with the people and environs of the world around us,” Watts said. “Just as light going through a prism becomes an entire spectrum, the ideas, contexts and motivations embedded within our daily lives are always more than what they appear on the surface.” Students in Watts’ printmaking courses interact with the international art community through portfolio exchanges each semester. Watts will work with Rachel Singel, assistant professor of printmaking at Hite, on an exchange of artwork between UofL and Zayed students. Originally from the U.S., Watts received his undergraduate degree from Bradley University and Master of Fine Arts, with a concentration in printmaking, at the University of South Dakota. His work has been featured in more than 70 group and solo exhibitions across the U.S. and internationally in locations including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Venice, Portugal, Malaysia and Dubai. The opening reception is 6-8 p.m. Dec. 4, Cressman Center, 100 E. Main St., during the First Friday Trolley Hop. Click here for gallery hours. For more information, contact Jessica Bennett Kincaid, Hite exhibitions assistant and curator for this exhibition, at 502-852-4437 or jbkinc01@exchange.louisville.edu. ###