The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery is pleased to present “To Unmake a Fold,” a group exhibition that features Chicago-based artists Mark Blanchard, Cass Davis, bena foli and Kelly Kristin Jones. The exhibition will open on Monday, Jan. 13 and run through Thursday, Feb. 20. A reception for the exhibit will take place from 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23 in the Visual Arts Gallery.

“To Unmake a Fold” is one of two synchronous exhibitions. The companion exhibition, “Tracing Faults,” is on view at Chicago Artists Coalition (CAC) in Chicago, Illinois. Both exhibitions are curated by Jeff Robinson who works as HATCH curatorial resident at CAC and as director of the UIS Visual Arts Gallery.

In geology, faults and folds refer to tectonic activities that result from immense stress and pressure below the Earth’s surface. These environmental tensions trigger groundbreaking events that reshape the visible landscape. As joint exhibitions, “Tracing Faults” and “To Unmake a Fold” use these seismic actions as an analogy for the social, cultural, and political rifts that permeate our present human condition, and consider how these quandaries prompt opportunities for collective renewal and redemption.

An Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series lecture that explores the structure of and themes within the exhibitions will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10 in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of UIS Brookens Library. Artists Mark Blanchard, Cass Davis, bena foli and Kelly Kristin Jones will take part in a panel discussion moderated by Jeff Robinson. A closing reception and catalog release will follow from 7-8 p.m. in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery.

Individuals with disabilities attending the ECCE Speaker Series event who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217-206-6245 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance.

The Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, Room 201, and is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

For more information, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website or contact the gallery at 217-206-6506 or alach@uis.edu.