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art history, traditional African sculpture,
Rashaad Newsome, a cross-disciplinary artist who architecture, and commercial media.
will be in residence at the UW–Madison for the
Spring 2019 Interdisciplinary Arts Residency
significant video work, Stop Playing in My Face!
(2016), and two collages: Adjoa (2017) and Yaa
(2017).
“As the University’s art museum, the Chazen is
committed to acquiring works by artists who
have a strong relationship with the campus and
the students,” said Amy Gilman, director of the
Chazen. “Mr. Newsome will be on campus
working with students in a cross-disciplinary
Newsome translates the concept of “sampling” from manner across the University. I have long admired
its original music context into other media including his work and felt it was the right moment to not
performance, collage, and video. In Stop Playing in only to have Mr. Newsome represented in the
My Face!, Newsome brings together elements that collection, but also to have his work on view
have previously lived exclusively within his collage during his residency here in Madison.”
work in an animated tour de force exploring the
social constructs of gender, sexuality, identity, race,
and personal agency. The four-minute video is only
the second video-based work to enter the Chazen
Museum of Art’s collection.
The museum acquired two collage works that both
complement and enhance an understanding of the
video piece. The collages resonate with other
aspects of the museum’s collections—especially the
African collection—and serve as a counterpoint to
representations of gender and race in the European
Paintings collection. The collages are assembled so
that at first glance they resemble traditionally
composed female figures. However, closer
inspection reveals their “composit” origins in a
complex layering of sections of images taken from
Program (IARP). The acquisition includes a
The Chazen recently acquired three works by
Born in New Orleans, Newsome earned his
bachelor’s degree at Tulane University and
studied film in New York City, where he now
Rashaad Newsome (American, b. 1979), Yaa, 2017, collage
on paper, 39 ¾ x 31 ¼ in., museum funds purchase, 2018.3
lives and works.
IARP artists teach an interdisciplinary course for
university credit, present at least one free public
event, and participate in community outreach
activities. The program gives students exposure
to working artists, provides course credit, and
strengthens programmatic ties among individual
departments, programs, and other campus and
community arts entities. Since 1999, the Division
of the Arts (formerly known as the Arts Institute)
has organized thirty residencies.
Rashaad Newsome (American, b. 1979), Stop Playing In My Face!,
2016, single channel video with sound, total running time: 04:02,
Chazen Museum of Art General Endowment Fund a nd Stanley
J. Lenerz Endowment Fund purchase.