The Art Institute of California – San Diego Celebrates World-Renown Artist Matt Lamb

April 14, 2009 - PRLog -- The Art Institute of California – San Diego welcomes and celebrates world-renown artist, sculptor, philosopher, and tireless activist for world peace, Matt Lamb.  The breathtaking exhibition will be on display from April 17 through June 13, 2009 in The Gallery at The Art Institute of California – San Diego.   Meet the artist and enjoy refreshments during a public reception to be held on April 17 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm and VIP receptions on April 18 and 19 (by invite only) from 5:00 to 9:00 pm in The Gallery at The Art Institute of California – San Diego.  Artwork will be available for purchase.

Matt Lamb is one of the most intriguing, confounding, pigeonhole-defying phenomena in contemporary art.  The intensity of his colors, the topographic sensuality of his surfaces, and the freedom of his gesture have been hailed in publications such as ARTnews, The Times of London, and The Miami Herald as well as celebrated in exhibitions at The State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), Centre-Picasso (Horta, Spain), Centre Joan Miró (Mont-roig, Spain), and Westminster Cathedral (London) to name a few.  

By turns whimsical á la Marc Chagall and fearsome á la Jean Dubuffet, Lamb’s paintings are born of a secretive, proprietary process known as “The Dip,” wherein he suffuses canvases and panels in an alchemical mixture of corrosive, mutually repellant materials.  As they dry over a period of months or years, these materials pool and pucker into lustrous, craggy surfaces. Lamb works obsessively and prolifically in his studios in Chicago, Wisconsin, Florida, Ireland, France, Germany, and Argentina, and continues to divide his artistic output between figurative, abstract, and semi-abstract modes.  

Also tireless activist for world peace, Lamb augments his art career with various projects that advance his personal mantra of “Peace, Tolerance, Understanding, Hope, and Love.”  Through his Umbrellas for Peace program, he has instilled these values in tens of thousands of schoolchildren around the globe, using art as a metaphor for acceptance.

“We are delighted and honored as a school, to showcase the work of such an inspirational artist and advocate for world peace who not only exhibits a beautiful talent, but a beautiful heart,” says Liz Erickson, President at The Art Institute of California – San Diego.  “Lamb’s commitment to inspiring people on their self-reflective journey in creating umbrellas of hope sheds a positive light on the world’s struggle to find peace.  Our community is looking forward to participating in this process and hosting the works of Matt Lamb.”

For more information on the Matt Lamb Exhibition at The Art Institute of California – San Diego, visit  www.artinstitutes.edu/sandiego or contact Jody Auslund, PR & Communications Coordinator at 858.598.1303 for additional information.

The Art Institute of California – San Diego is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals.