Extinguishing the Fire and Posters on Parade to Be Displayed at School of Art

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan University’s School of Art will open its first exhibitions of 2019 with the installation Extinguishing the Fire by Tom Rice and Posters on Parade by Delicious Design League starting Monday, Jan. 14.

Rice’s Extinguishing the Fire is one of several pieces concerned with capturing the beauty of nature as well as the harmful effects of human activity on the environment. A multimedia artist experienced in painting, drawing and video performance, Rice often uses thin plastic as a primary material in his artwork to highlight how environmentally harmful practices are present in all corners of everyday life.

“Extinguishing the Fire focuses primarily on the effects of the desire for profit by one industry, and the effect oil and natural gas extraction and consumption has upon the natural environment,” says Rice, an advocate for environmental protections. “The work questions whether it is possible to retreat from an industry that is woven into every aspect of our existence and is the very foundation of our economy.”

Rice will discuss his work at a public reception Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 1:15 p.m. in the Ames School of Art and Design. This event is free and open to the public. Extinguishing the Fire will be on display at the Merwin Gallery until April 3.

Additionally, the Wakeley Gallery will feature a poster collection by Delicious Design League (DDL), a team of multimedia artists and designers. DDL has worked with Facebook, Netflix, Nike and other well-known clients to design colorful and eye-catching logos, promotional material, websites and more. The team also creates custom prints and sells a wide range of posters. Their collection Posters on Parade will be on display until Feb. 21.

By Rachel McCarthy ’21