An artist who specializes in “candy colored madness” will present the Deem Distinguished Artist Lecture at West Virginia University.
Jason Freeny, an artist who specializes in sculpture, designer toys, and computer generated imagery, will speak at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, in Bloch Learning and Performance Hall, 200A Creative Arts Center.
Freeny is the owner of the Moist Production Studio, which publishes and distributes his work. He’s best known for his anatomical art, where he produces cutaway drawings and sculptures of inanimate objects inspired by beloved toys and cartoon characters.
“My colleagues and I in WVU’s School of Art & Design have enthusiastically followed Jason on social media for years, taking delight in his sculptural projects remixing iconic imagery from popular culture,” said Dylan Collins, assistant professor and coordinator of sculpture. “He’s truly a multifaceted, 21st-century talent, successfully embodying the roles of savvy entrepreneur, amateur scientist, and meticulous maker, which makes him the perfect choice to deliver this year’s Deem Lecture.”
A native of Silver Spring, Maryland, he studied industrial design at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. His early career was spent working as a muralist and theatrical designer, followed by a stint with MTV’s special events department. At the same time, his personal work was gaining notoriety and appearing in publications like Heavy Metal, Penthouse and Time Out New York.
A short stint as a toy designer and the birth of his son pushed Freeny towards a surreal mixture of innocence and maturity. He created his first fictional anatomy illustration in 2000 with his depiction of the mythological “Incubus.” He would subsequently expand into digital and three-dimensional anatomical work.
He was voted artist of the year at the 2014 Designer Toy Awards, and 2013 fan favorite in Clutter Magazine’s Designer Toy Awards. He received Clutter’s breakthrough artist award in 2011.
The annual Deem Distinguished Artist Lecture is sponsored by Alison and Patrick Deem, of Bridgeport, W.Va. Over the years, the Deems have been true leaders in advancing the arts at WVU, and most especially, the education of students. Their Distinguished Visiting Artist Lecture Series has brought internationally recognized artists and their work to the WVU campus, fostering not only student and faculty engagement, but also free public lectures by these artists, providing community access to thought-provoking examples of contemporary art.
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CONTACT: David Welsh, WVU College of Creative Arts
304.293.3397; David.Welsh@mail.wvu.edu
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