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Fresno State Library

Mary Maughelli Exhibition

Mary Maughelli

An exhibition titled Mary Maughelli: Abstract Expressionism and Feminist Artwork opens Nov. 4 in the Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery in the Henry Madden Library at Fresno State with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Maughelli, a professor emerita, taught at Fresno State from 1962 to 1998. She died in October 2015. She was a prominent feminist artist, a contemporary of Judy Chicago and a founding member of Gallery 25.

This exhibition, presented by the Department of Art and Design in partnership with the Madden Library, examines Maughelli’s early work. Maughelli was a student of the first California art movement, abstract expressionism, at the University of California, Berkeley, under the tutelage of historically relevant artists. After graduating, she spent two years in Europe completing back-to-back Fulbright scholarships, competitive grants for international educational exchange students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists.

Mary Maughelli: Abstract Expressionism and Feminist Artwork

  • November 4, 2016 to December 16, 2016
  • Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery in the Henry Madden Library (2nd floor, North Wing)
  • This is a free, public exhibition, curated by Nanete Maki-Dearsan and Robert Ogata.
  • Reception : November 4, 2016 from 6 to 8 p.m.
    RSVP for the reception at eRsvp form using "LIBMAUGHELLI"

Upon her return, she began her 36-year teaching career at Fresno State. Maughelli and other teachers and artists helped set the foundation for the arrival of visiting artist Judy Chicago, which resulted in the formation of Fresno State’s feminist art program, the first of its kind in the United States.

Visitors should download the Aurasma app (iTunes, Android) and create a free account before arriving at the exhibition.

This exhibition is aimed at educating millennials about abstract expressionism and the feminist art movement in the context of the cultural and political environments of those times. In addition to traditional elements, the exhibition will incorporate elements of augmented reality, allowing viewers to interact with content in a deeper, more meaningful way.

By using a smartphone app, Aurasma, and scanning certain trigger images throughout the exhibition, viewers can access additional content to enhance their experience. Other multimedia components—the film “Womanhouse,” which covers artwork by several of the first feminist program students in Los Angeles; the Hans Hoffman film “Artist Teacher, Teacher Artist,” which is both an explanation of modern art and the story of an artist and teacher of thousands; and several interviews with Maughelli—will be available for viewing on three monitors in the gallery.

“Mary Maughelli is a trailblazer, and we are all indebted to her artistic vision,” said Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. “She transcended her own historical space and forged a new meaning for the female body, one that challenged the typical binary model that made use of an essentialist nature in order to limit the creative process and value of womanhood. She created a legacy that epitomizes the generosity inherent in art — the creative process envisions a new perspective of a better world.”

For more information, including assistance with disability accommodations or physical access, call Susan Christensen at 559.278.5792 or email susanm@csufresno.edu.

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