Exhibition dates: Mar. 1 through Apr. 7, 2022 Opening reception: Thursday, Mar. 3, from 4-7 p.m. Mesa College Art Gallery, FA 103 Free Parking in Lot # 1 for reception. Park in STUDENT spaces ONLY. From the gallery: Ben Allanoff and Anna Stump’s two-person exhibition delves into the contradictions of the Mojave Desert, a militarized training ground but also a place notable for incredibly tenacious forms of life. Stump’s paintings and Allanoff’s assemblages transform discarded and found materials into haunting artworks. The works represent an ironic juxtaposition: an ecology where a huge military enterprise focused on training people to kill, coexists with diverse life-forms that for millions of years have evolved, adapted, and persisted with mind-boggling creativity and determination. The exhibition renders visible often overlooked aspects of violence, conquest and resilience in the desert. The exhibition will also include a lecture by San Diego filmmaker Evan Apodaca who through interactive works and documentary video explores the ways that the military shaped and exploited San Diego. RELATED: Filmmaker Points Surreal Lens To San Diego’s Military History Learn more from the gallery website. About the artists: Ben Allanoff is an artist working primarily in large scale sculptural installations, mostly temporary and/or collaborative, but some permanent as well. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and Duke University, and earned his B.A. from Duke. Prior to his work as a public and gallery artist, Ben was a filmmaker and a screenwriting fellow at the Sundance Institute. He also was Chair of the non-profit Topanga Creek Watershed Committee, which under his guidance worked to diminish the negative impacts of human activity on a fragile and important ecosystem in the Santa Monica Mountains, mostly through community education and political activism. His work promoting non-toxic methods of pest control earned awards from the County of Los Angeles and from elected state representatives. Anna Stump is an artist and arts educator. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Occidental College and her Master of Fine Arts at San Diego State University. She was a Senior Fulbright Scholar to Turkey in 2006-2007 (kloeamongtheturks.com) and was recently awarded residencies at Cill Rialaig, Ireland, Centre Pompadour, France, Guapamacataro, Mexico, and Hrisey, Iceland. Anna teaches studio art courses at Grossmont College in El Cajon. Anna is the founder of the San Diego Feminist Image Group (fig-art.blogspot.com). She is one-half of the painting team Hill&Stump (hillandstump.com). She is co-owner of the Moonhuts, a photo and events studio in Los Angeles (moonhuts.com). She is currently rehabilitating a large property that will support the arts in the high desert near Joshua Tree (desertdairy.com) Related links: Mesa College Gallery on Instagram
