2024 Arts and Communication Festival
2024 ARTS + COMMUNICATION FESTIVAL: The UN-Festival
April 1 – 13, 2024
6 Talks | 3 Showcases | 3+ Performances | 3 Receptions
Monday, April 1
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Talk: Unstoppable Keith Carter: Exploratorium
Robertson Auditorium
4:00 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Keith Carter - Book Signing
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Reception: Keith Carter
O'Kane Gallery Foyer
Tuesday, April 2
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Talk: Unconventional Design by Malmstrom and Moore
O'Kane Theatre
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Drama Student Showcase
O'Kane Theatre
Wednesday, April 3
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
UHD iRadio Open House
iRadion, 3rd Floor, One Main Building
Thursday, April 4
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Talk: Unveil: Might Murals of H-Town
Roberston Auditorium
Featured speakers include:
- Brenda Chapa (UHD Alumna, class of 2019), Artist, Co-Founder, Ramos Editions
- Giselle Oviedo (UHD student), Artist, part of Big Art. Bigger Change.
- Bobby Ramos (UHD Alumnus, class of 2020), Artist, Co-Founder, Ramos Editions
Moderated by UHD’s Natacha Poggio, Associate Professor of Design in the Department of Arts and Communication.
The discussion will explore the creative journey involved in producing large-scale artworks, alongside examining the importance of visual public art within Houston's community.
Brenda Chapa (UHD Fine Arts 2019)
Brenda Chapa transcends conventional portraiture, revealing a vivid realm of colors beneath the surface. Her art, though realistic, diverges from the ordinary, employing a striking palette to present a fresh perspective on the human form, brimming with unseen vibrancy. Utilizing a potent blend of acrylics and spray paint, she crafts intricate backgrounds that enhance her subjects. Chapa's deliberate color selections defy norms, eschewing subtle pastels to redefine standards of beauty. Her impressive portfolio boasts a monumental 10x8 ft. chalk mural for Via Colori, as their featured artist, alongside her Van Gogh series exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Through her art, Chapa navigates the intricacies of human nature, compelling viewers to reconsider their perceptions of the world.
Giselle Oviedo (UHD Fine Arts present)
Giselle Oviedo, a first-generation student, and junior majoring in Fine Arts within UHD’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, excels not only academically but also as a versatile freelance artist skilled in painting, illustration, and mural creation. In May 2023, Oviedo participated in Downtown Houston’s Big Art. Bigger Change. initiative, joining over two dozen muralists to create an unprecedented exhibition, positioning Houston as the only city in the world to host such an event. Her mural, "Reaching Up," measuring 8 feet by 11 feet, now adorns the walls of Zydeco Diner on the northeast side of Downtown. With a portfolio boasting three murals and over 100 illustrations crafted for The Dateline, UHD's campus newspaper, Oviedo is currently dedicated to a new commission project, showcasing her unwavering passion and commitment to her artistic pursuits.
Bobby Ramos (UHD Fine Arts 2020)
Bobby Ramos is a Houston-based artist whose work is a vibrant exploration of the city's diverse and dynamic culture. Driven by a belief that art should be accessible to all, they strive to create pieces that spark conversation and connection. Their maximalist style bursts with bold colors and playful elements, drawing inspiration from pop culture. These captivating works engage viewers on multiple levels, offering a visually stunning experience with layers of substance and depth. Through their art, Bobby Ramos hopes to inspire, foster a sense of shared experience, and leave a lasting impression. In 2010, Bobby Ramos started Ramos Renditions LLC, a local Houston based art collective passionate about the power of art to transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary experiences. Throughout the past 14 years, Renditions has created murals, tattoos, playing cards, paintings, sculptures, robots, and so much more.
Saturday, April 6
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Anton Guatama: List Persists, Selected Works
O'Kane Gallery
In conjunction with FotoFest Biennial 2024 the O’Kane Gallery exhibition presents photographs from Gautama’s trilogy documenting cultural aspects of his home in Surabaya, Indonesia. Pabean Passage, Home Sweet Home and The Outsider were published as individual volumes recognizing each series in the trilogy. Gautama unexpectedly died in 2021 before the publication of his final book, The Outsider, in 2023. Including photographs from each of the three volumes, the exhibition emphasizes Gautama’s final project, The Outsider, which documents present day inhabitants of a three-hundred-year-old Dutch Colonial building in Surabaya, Indonesia. The dilapidated building became a landing place and refuge for Chinese Indonesians in the 1940s following social unrest. His earlier series, Pabean Passage, documents a Surabyan spice market Gautama was taken to as a child. Home Sweet Home offers intimate portrayals of the of the homes of Chinese Indonesians in Makassar and Surabaya.
Monday, April 8
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
MASC Information Showcase
Mural Area (Academic Building)
Tuesday, April 9
12:30 pm. - 1:30 p.m.
Unafraid to Impress – Elevator Pitch Contest
A300/White Oak1:30 pm. - 2:30 p.m.
Gator Beat - Performance
Mural Area (Academic Building)
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Talk: Untrue - Women's Health Lecture
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Talk: Unconventional Design by Malmstrom and Moore
O'Kane Theatre
Wednesday, April 10
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
A&C Internship Fair
A300 (Academic Building)
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
COMM Studies Speaker Event, UNCOMPLICATED: Communicating with Plain English.
Robertson Auditorium or Register to Attend Virtually
In a world that seems to place more emphasis on “wordsmithing,” the goal of Plain English is communicating a way that your audience can easily understand, which means being concise, direct, and purposeful. The plain language movement is an international phenomenon that aims to ensure clear communication for all. You will learn about the impact of plain language on the private and public sector organizations, the core plain language principles, and the way you can use plain language in your everyday activities.
The presenters will also share with you several resources available to you at UHD, including several undergraduate and graduate plain language courses, the graduate certificate in plain language, and the graduate programs that can significantly increase your abilities to communicate clearly and purposefully. Join us as we explore the simplification of our communication and further educational pursuits in this academic area.
Panelists:
Dr. Ashleigh Petts, Assistant Professor of Technical Communication, UHD
Dr. Joe Sample, Associate Professor of Technical Communication, UHD
Dr. Natalia Matveeva, Professor of Communication Studies, UHD
For more information contact, Bridget Mueller, muellerb@uhd.edu.
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
O'Kane Theatre presents: Unpersons
Jones Student Life Center
Step into the shadows of a not-so-distant future, where the echoes of Harold Pinter's
haunting brilliance converge in ‘Unpersons: An Evening with Harold Pinter.’ As ‘One for the Road,’ ‘Mountain Language,’ and ‘The Dumb Waiter’ intertwine, a chilling narrative unfolds within the confines of a Orwellian police
state. Brace yourself for a gripping exploration of power, language, and the haunting
resonance of Pinter's timeless commentary on the human condition.
Thursday, April 11
12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
K-Pop Dance - Performance
O'Kane Gallery
4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Reception: UHD Student Art Exhibit
O'Kane Gallery
7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Unpersons Talk Back with Director + cast
Jones Student Life Center
Friday, April 12
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
O'Kane Theatre presents: Unpersons
Jones Student Life Center
5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Reception: Unpersons
Jones Student Life Center
7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
O'Kane Theatre presents: Unpersons
Jones Student Life Center
Saturday, April 13
7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
O'Kane Theatre presents: Unpersons
Jones Student Life Center