“Street Art to Gallery Art” is coming to the Contemporary Art Gallery for a multi-artist series.

CAG wanted to feature artists with distinctive techniques and styles. Joseph Staples and Chic Connell were two that came to mind.   

“The idea of the show came from wanting to show artists that had worked in graffiti or installations in urban spaces,” said Dale Newkirk, gallery director and professor of sculpture. “These two artists came out of that exploration.”

To kick off the exhibition, Staples will be giving a lecture Oct. 16 at noon. Admission is free and open to the public. 

Staples’ artwork is being made in the art gallery at the moment by the artist and is specifically being created for this multi-artist exhibition.  

Technique and interest in the artist’s work is the main contribution of the artwork that will be displayed in CAG. 

“Joseph Staples has created artworks out of layers printed materials in urban space. Chic has worked as a graffiti artist and uses some of these techniques in his work but is affected by that rough sensibility,” said Newkirk. “It was form and interest in the artist work that we are putting up the show.”

Both Chic and Staples were street artists. They were able to take their work from the streets to the gallery and continue to create art in a style formatted from street art techniques. 

The other featured artist will be Lisa Blatt. Her artwork will be running in the video gallery. 

Blatt is a photographer who has won awards in the United States, Chile and Antarctica. She will be giving a lecture open to the public on Oct. 18 at noon. 

The artwork that Blatt will have presented throughout the exhibition will be “Spinning on the Enola Gay Runway Until I Make Myself Sick.” 

If you are unable to attend the lectures and would still like to view the artwork on display in the exhibition, the multi-artist series be open in CAG from Oct. 16 through Nov. 7.