Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--As part of the cultural and educational events for this fall's common freshman reading program at Mississippi State, 43 contemporary ceramic artists are contributing their representations of cups to a Sept. 7-Oct. 28 exhibition on the Starkville campus.
The national invitational exhibition coincides with other events surrounding the Maroon Edition freshman book, "Three Cups of Tea," which chronicles author Greg Mortenson's journey to build schools for children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mortenson will speak on the MSU campus Sept. 23 [see www.maroonedition.msstate.edu/].
Organized by the MSU Department of Art, the exhibition in McComas Gallery is open to the public Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The inspiration for the "Three Cups of Tea" national invitational comes from Mortenson's description of Pakistani hospitality in his best-selling book. In it, he describes the first cup of tea for a stranger; the second, for a friend; and, with the third, someone becomes a member of the family.
Among artists contributing to a metaphorical illustration of the community described by "Three Cups of Tea" are Peter Beasecker, Jack Troy, Robert Long, Hyn Kyun Yoon, Yoko Sekino-Bove, Mel Griffin, Jeff Campana, Julia Galloway, Chris Staley, and John Williams.
Their work will include both functional and non-functional interpretations of the cup, with the works offered for sale to the public. A portion of proceeds will support one of the MSU Maroon Edition outreach activities, the Lamia Afghan Foundation [www.lamia-afghanfoundation.org], which provides school supplies to children in Afghanistan.
To highlight the creative and technical aspects of the work, artist Peter Beasecker, a faculty member at Syracuse University, will provide a September 24 demonstration and lecture about his work, travels and knowledge of the cup. The 9 a.m.-noon lecture/demonstration in 114 Howell will be followed by a 2 p.m. artist talk in the jury room of Giles Hall, home of the School of Architecture. The program is sponsored in part by The Chalet Visiting Artist Program.
Beasecker's works are held in major collections, including the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. He has been a visiting artist and workshop leader at more than 50 institutions, including the Anderson Ranch, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and the Penland School of Crafts.
For more information about the Three Cups of Tea National Invitational, telephone the art department at 662-325-2970.