Exhibition by Installation Artist and Evangelical Street Preacher Comes to Colorado State University March 24

The Hatton Gallery at Colorado State University presents the exhibition "Reverend Ethan Acres" from March 24 – May 2 and a residency with the artist from April 14 – April 18 as part of the Department’s Critic and Artist Residency Series.

A reception for the artist will be held on April 14 from noon – 1 p.m. in the Hatton Gallery. The Rev. Ethan Acres will present a public lecture on Monday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in the Lory Student Center Theatre. All gallery events are free and open to the public.

Acres is a performance and installation artist and an evangelical street preacher. In 1996 he was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity from World Christianship Ministries and graduated with a master of fine arts degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His work is described as camp, good natured and rollicking fun.

Los Angeles art critic, David Pagel wrote of Acres: "Good old-time religion and edgy contemporary art make for odd bedfellows, but this unholy alliance thrives in the art and life of Reverend Ethan Acres. No stranger to the strange shapes belief takes in our doubt-riddled modern lives, the young charismatic preacher has already produced a compelling body of work that presents blind faith and unshakable skepticism as two sides of the same coin."

Acres’ art has been included in many group exhibitions and solo exhibitions including "Jesus Freak" at the Patricia Faure Gallery; "Faith: The Impact of Judeo-Christian Religion on Art at the Millennium" at the Aldrich Museum; and "The Magic Hour: The Convergence of Art and Las Vegas" at the Neue Galerie am Landesmuseum Joanneum. Most recently the Reverend performed "PANopticon" as part of his London Mission at the Tate Modern. His performance art/sermons were recently published by Art Issues Press in 2001. He has also served as a visiting artist, most recently at the University of Texas, San Antonio.

The Hatton Gallery exhibition will feature three large-scale works: "Lava Madonna," "Locusts," and "Samson’s Lion."

The Critic and Artist Residency Series was founded in 1997 to bring prominent artists and critics to the Colorado State University campus. The series is supported by an endowment entitled the FUNd at Colorado State University. The program puts students, faculty and community members in touch with important figures in the contemporary art world through public lectures, open forums, classroom interactions and critiques.

The Hatton Gallery is located in the Visual Arts Building on the Colorado State campus. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday. Visitor parking is available for $2 at the Z parking lot located on Meridian Avenue and Pitkin Street. Parking for evening events is free.

For more information, call (970) 491-1989.