Bridgewater, Va. – Assistant Professor of Digital Arts, New Media and Printmaking at Christopher Newport University Alan Skees is allowing his works to be showcased in the Beverly Perdue Art Gallery of the John Kenny Forrer Learning Commons. The series will be available for public viewing until Dec. 10. 

On Nov. 8, Skees held an opening reception at the Beverly Perdue Art Gallery to talk about his process and inspiration for the collection of works. Skees’ work heavily relies on technology, therefore the result resembles the art of the regionalists. 

Skees called the title of his works “an almost tongue in cheek” reference to the regionalists. Regionalist pieces were dedicated to the simplicity of nature and rejecting the advances of technology. 

Skees mentioned that it bothered him that his series looked so familiar, so he scoured art history books until he came across the Regionalists.

“It became an antithesis of what this work was about,” said Skees. 

The irony of the pieces having similar looks is due to the process that Skees uses for this style of art, which involves using code and modern technology. Skees’ pieces show the accumulation of technology and modern art twisted into something new. 

“I find the fingerprint of technology, corporations, industrialization, and sprawling urbanization… and I embrace it,” said Skees. 

That is how the name of the collection was chosen, “American Glitch: Neo-Regionalism.”

“I say what’s interesting about all this to me is each photographer approaches capturing images in a different way and I’m always surprised,” said Associate Professor of Art and Gallery Director Michael Hough.“When we looked at his work originally, considering it for a show, this is something I had never seen done. That was part of the decision, we need to bring these in so that we can actually see the real work.”

If interested in purchasing one of Skees’ works, contact Michael Hough at ([email protected]) or his office phone number (540-828-5684). 

Each piece is listed at $300 and all are able to be viewed by the public in the Beverly Perdue Art Gallery in the John Kenny Forrer Learning Commons.