Implied Action: Performance Through Object is an exhibition featuring four Visiting Assistant Professors in the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts at Indiana University. Carissa Carman (Textiles), Mike Calway- Fagen (Sculpture), Carrie Mae Smith (Fundamentals) and Keith Allyn Spencer (Fundamentals) either make objects or use found items to convey the history of, presence of, or potential for performance. These objects range from an article of clothing suggesting the act of wearing; to those that have a history of action, whether artistic or utilitarian; to objects that document and become evidence of past performance. While these artists teach in various areas of IU’s studio art department, it is evident that process, object, and performance are integral to each artist’s studio practice. Implied Action: Performance Through Object is curated by Marla Roddy, Public Relations Coordinator at the Grunwald Gallery of Art.

Carissa Carman earned her BA from the University of California Chico (2001) and her MFA in Fibers at Concordia University, Montreal (2012), where she also was a research assistant for Subtela, Hexagram. From 2003-2009 she was based in New York City, where she received residencies and grants from Women’s Studio Workshop, Andy Warhol Foundation, New York Foundation of the Arts, New York Council of the Arts, Chashama North, Vermont Studio Center and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council amongst others. She has presented nationally and internationally in New York City, Seattle, Indiana, Florida, Montreal, Sackville New Brunswick, Cuba, Italy, and France. Her artworks are in major collections at Yale, Rhode Island School of Design, and Virginia Commonwealth. Carman is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor in Textiles at IU Bloomington.

Mike Calway-Fagen is a visual artist, writer, and curator based in Bloomington, Indiana. He received his BFA from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and an MFA from the University of California in San Diego. Mike has upcoming solo shows at Soo Visual Arts Center in Minneapolis, Ditch Projects in Portland, Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. Recent group exhibitions include the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, LAXArt in Los Angeles, NurtureArt in Brooklyn, and Goucher College in Baltimore, among others. Mike has attended residencies including the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, The Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, The Fine Arts Work Center, and Sculpture Space in Utica, NY. Mike’s work has been reviewed in publications including Art Papers, World Sculpture, and A5 Magazines. Mike also writes and curates with recent essays appearing in Temporary Art Review and BurnAway online magazines. His upcoming curatorial project, State Park, opens in California in early 2015. Most recently Mike was a Jerome Fellow at Franconia Sculpture Park where he built and installed a large-scale public sculpture titled, Dyramid.

Carrie Mae Smith, a New England native, is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 2005, and completed an MFA in Sculpture at the University of Delaware, 2013. Her work investigates marginalized histories and utilitarian forms. She is interested in traditional construction techniques and fine craftsmanship whether working with wood, steel, panty hose or cheese-puffs. Smith has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, is a recipient of artist grants from the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund and the Ruth and Harold Chenven Foundation. She was awarded an Artist Residency at Winterthur Museum and Gardens, a Summer Fellowship in Material Culture Studies at the University of Delaware, and most recently completed a residency at RAIR (Recycled Artist in Residence) in North East Philadelphia, PA.

Keith Allyn Spencer was born and raised in the American desert southwest border region. An emphasis w/ the middle letter of his name helps diminish the perpetual mix-up with similar named persons: Keith Spencer, Kevin Spencer, Kenneth Allan Spencer, Spencer Kenny Allen, Kanye West, so on and so forth. Currently, Kurt resides with his family in Bloomington, Indiana, USA – the tie-dye capital of the world. He is a (just) Visiting Assistant Professor at Indiana University, trying to navigate towards long-term job security, cul-de-sacs, and organic groceries. Kent has showcased his works in various group shows, “p0p-up” spaces, coffee shops, bars, blogs and academic galleries. Most recently, Karl has held solo exhibitions at the Composing Rooms-Berlin, Juicys Gallery-NYC, Welcome Screen-London, OFG.XXX-Dallas, PULSE, Target, Pizza Hut and the Rhode Island Credit Union so help you God. Forthcoming solo exhibitions include New Galerie-Paris and Dragon Express-Bloomington.