In addition to their UMass experience, these artists share a fascination with space and involving the viewer, but use vastly different methods to create their experience.  Larry Bamburg’s work moves.  He starts with a white environment, with white fans moving simple bits of string, wire, and paper in installations that the visitor can enter.  Bamburg’s, "Untitled Variable" shown at Peter Blum incorporated a ceiling fan with varied flecks of paper suspended by string, is reminiscent of being witness to a gentle tornado. 

Larry Bamburg was born in Houston Texas, and graduated in 2000 with an MFA in Painting from UMass Amherst, MA.  Larry received his BFA in Painting and Metalsmithing, from Texas Tech and has recently exhibited at Kumuku, a cutting edge gallery on the Lower East Side; Peter Blum, a blue chip gallery in Soho; Chelsea Esso in Chelsea, and Caren Golden in Chelsea.

Artist Joomi Chung’s work Atlas #2 will be part of the exhibition Skeptical Landscapes, at Herter Gallery which runs from March 2nd to April 2nd.  Chung was born in Kimchun, South Korea; lived for a decade in Buenos Aires, Argentina; and came to the United States in 2001.  Chung graduated from UMass in 2004 with an MFA in Painting.  Her recent exhibitions include Figurama, a group show that has traveled in the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and Holland; and Signoscope-Signoscape V: Vortices, Phoenix Gallery, New York.  She received the High Achievement Award at the 17th National Juried Show at the Art Center of Northern New Jersey, juried by Stacey Goergen, curator of the Whitney Museum of American Art.  Chung teaches painting, drawing, and animation/video at Miami University of Ohio.

Joomi Chung’s suspended circular curved transparent acetate labyrinths enable the viewer to move in, around and through them, and upon which complex images are digitally printed, painted, or inked in series of black and white or colored images.  Of these, Trevor Richardson, Director, Herter Gallery notes, “She employs a disparate, eclectic, range of figurative and abstract imagery.” 

The Arts Extension Service at the University of Massachusetts recognizes the importance of working artists sharing their experiences with art students. “It is not an easy transition to jump from the comfort of working within an institution where you may have a studio, a Teaching Assistant position, and access to equipment to make your work, then upon graduation, you are on your own and have to find your own way,” says AES’ Director Maren Brown.  “Learning from the vastly different approaches that each artist takes opens possibilities to students.  The UMass Alumni Art Stars Speaker Series enables students to hear a variety of real-life stories from alumni artists who are willing to share the reality of the twists and turns of their own careers; the choices that were available to them; why they selected one option over another; and how the realities of life beyond the classroom, for example finding jobs or space to work, has lead them to this stage in their working lives.” 
 
For more information, contact the Arts Extension Service at 413-545-2360 or the Art Department at 413 545-1903, or visit online at:  www.umass.edu/aes or www.umass.edu/art or for information on the exhibition Skeptical Landscapes, contact Trevor Richardson, Director, Herter Gallery, at (413) 545-0976 or visit online at http://www.umass.edu/art/facilities/herter_gallery/index.html