(ir)regular evolution: New Works by Rachel Stevens
Bunny Conlon Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery, University Art Museum
June 10-September 2, 2022

Opening June 10th, 5:30PM

(ir)regular evolution is an exhibition featuring all new works in clay by Rachel Stevens, NMSU Department of Art Emeritus Professor. These pieces mark a radical shift in Stevens’ practice from large-scale monochromatic metal installations to multicolored biomorphic ceramic sculptures. From evolutionary theories of meteors sparking life on earth to genetic mutations causing cataclysmic pandemics, in this exhibition Stevens’ new forms explore the (ir)regularities that she is embracing in her own work and in our modern world.  

Taking inspiration from her frequent hikes, Stevens’ pieces emulate the colors she finds in the landscape. She utilizes metallic glazes to disrupt organic forms, representing human interference in nature. Stevens’ multiple firings and experimental glaze techniques draw attention to biomorphic shapes that gracefully interact with industrial-looking elements. In (ir)regular evolution, Stevens’ embarks on an artistic exploration inspired by life in the wake of upheaval. As effects of COVID are felt worldwide, her themes shift to reflect the virus and its dramatic impact on the world we know. While the pandemic influences the work, it does not define it. Each sculpture becomes an opportunity to explore the inevitable changes that are intrinsic to life.

(ir)regular evolution: New Works by Rachel Stevens is supported by the Mellon Foundation, the Friends of the University Art Museum and the NMSU College of Arts and Sciences.

ABOUT THE ARTIST: Rachel Stevens received her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and MFA from Syracuse University. Stevens received the Fulbright Research Scholarships to Patan, Nepal in 2006 and Lviv, Ukraine in 2018. She is the recipient of a Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant and has shown in galleries and museums nationally and internationally. Rachel served as Area Head of sculpture at New Mexico State University for 25 years. She now divides her life between Las Cruces, New Mexico and Missoula, Montana.

Join us for the opening reception on Friday, June 10, 2022. The public reception begins at 5:30. For more info, please visit uam.nmsu.edu.

Press image: Rachel Stevens, Dropping Amino Acid 2, “clay and glaze.” 2022. Image courtesy of the artist. Commentary provided by NMSU students from ARTH 2136 Writing in Art (Spring 2022).