The School of Art in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce M.F.A. candidate Lily Hollinden's thesis exhibition, In the Performance of a Lifetime: Pepper Plinkett.

This exhibition will be held in the fourth floor lounge space of the Studio Art and Design Center in the Windgate Art and Design District at the U of A. The show will be on display April 1-12 and there will be a public reception on the evening of Friday, April 5, from 5-7 p.m.

In the Performance of a Lifetime: Pepper Plinkett is a celebration of the vibrance, indulgence and curiosity with which Hollinden explores in her studio practice. This exhibition features both paintings and ceramic sculptures in a narrative format, depicting a caricature of the human experience through the experience of Hollinden's alter-ego character, Pepper Plinkett the clown. Pepper is a symbol of the artist's personal philosophies of what it means to be human and serves as a protagonist and guide through a timeless, ambiguous natural world.

The uniqueness of humor as a specifically human trait and its use as a tool of communication, particularly in expressing authenticity, is the driving force behind the analysis of human nature and history, reviving clichés of the past and twisting them into commentary about the ridiculousness of existence. Hollinden is concerned with evolution at all stages, from life's gradual changes over millennia to her own personal evolution as an artist and individual.

The exploration of cycles (cycles of life, of behavior, of taste, expression and experience) is of great interest to Hollinden in her studio. Her work is heavily inspired by the lowbrow pop-surrealist movement and the Punchinello drawings of 18th century Italian artist Domenico Tiepolo, and often references art history in her compositions. Hollinden is also influenced by contemporary media and pop culture, particularly Frank Herbert's beloved sci-fi classics, and the Dune series.

"This body of work has come to fruition by a re-embracing of pure, unadulterated fun in my studio. It's so easy to get lost in the pressures of academia and making 'intelligent' paintings, and, although that is still important to me to an extent, reviving that child-like play has been so crucial to my work," Hollinden shared. "I feel like I've come full circle in a really satisfying way."

All are invited to view In the Performance of a Lifetime: Pepper Plinkett April 1-12 at the Studio Art and Design Center fourth floor lounge, located at 696 W. Praxis Ln. in Fayetteville and the public reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 5. To schedule a personal viewing, please contact Hollinden via email at lilyhollinden@gmail.com or by phone at (812) 361-4134.

Hollinden's work can also be viewed at lilyhollinden.com, or @lilyhollinden on Instagram.