EC Arts and Lectures Board to Host Presentation from Ecuadorian Artist Eduardo Villacís
EUREKA — The Eureka College Arts and Lectures Board is pleased to host Ecuadorian artist Eduardo Villacís for a campus lecture on the power of fantasy on Nov. 4.
The event will take place at 7 p.m. in the Terrill Rooms of the Donald B. Cerf Center at Eureka College.
In a presentation titled "Using Lies to Tell Truth," Villacís will discuss how imaginary worlds and alternative realities — sometimes dismissed as mere escapist fantasy — can be used to examine social, existential and ecological issues from perspectives that are often more accessible than realist approaches.
The artist will use examples from his own work to demonstrate the role that fantasy can play to help us achieve a more critical understanding of dominant historical narrative and our place within it. Of particular interest is Villacís's multimedia project, The Smoking Mirror, which posits an alternate reality in which Europe was conquered by indigenous Mexico rather than vice versa.
The lecture is free and open to the public. For questions or accommodations about the event, contact EC Spanish professor Dr. Emily Eaton at 309-467-6826.
Villacís is an accomplished artist who works in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, graphic novels and 3-D animation. Born in Ecuador, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study art at California State University in Fullerton, where he earned his Master of Fine Arts. His work has been exhibited in Ecuador, Mexico, and Colombia as well as the United States. Since 1994, he has served as Professor of Art the Universidad San Francisco in Quito, Ecuador.
The Arts and Lectures Board at Eureka College is a student-driven committee that works to bring nationally known educational and cultural events to campus through diverse programming that strives to further support the mission of Eureka College in the areas of learning, service, and leadership. The Board is comprised of students and is advised by a faculty member and staff member from the Office of Student Life.
Located in Eureka, Illinois, and chartered in 1855, Eureka College cultivated excellence in learning, service and leadership while providing students uniquely personalized and custom educational opportunities.
Originally founded by abolitionist members of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Eureka College holds the unique distinction of being the first college in Illinois and only the third in the nation to admit men and women on an equal basis. The College, which is located on nearly 70 wooded acres in central Illinois, is the smallest of only 23 colleges and universities to ever award a bachelor’s degree to a future President of the United States.