Released: February 6, 2025
Free reception, open to the public, at 6401 Richards Avenue. Exhibition runs through March 12
“Salt in the Wound, 2024” (Assemblage sculpture: salt, nails, photograph, burned door) 24 x 78 x 24
Santa Fe Community College’s Art on Campus will host a reception for Fine Arts student Polina Smutko’s pop-up exhibition, “Still Born Stillfree” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, February 27 in the Dean’s Gallery in the entry lobby of SFCC’s Fine Arts Center on campus, 6401 Richards Avenue. The exhibition runs through March 12. The reception is free and open to the public.
Artist Polina Smutko Biography
Santa Fe artist Polina Smutko (b. 1948 Sewickley, Pennsylvania) drawing on their own experience deconstructs the marginalization of trans and nonbinary people through assemblage sculptures. After studying at Pennsylvania State University (1966-1970), the San Francisco Art Institute (1971-1972), and Foothill College (1974-1975), Smutko’s bold constructions using found objects like broken asphalt and rusted nails are housed in steel boxes and specimen jars, creating a melancholic reflection on resilience in the face of oppression. Taking cues from Joseph Buyes, David Wojnarowicz, and Robert Gober and others, Smutko’s work was exhibited at venues like Cloud Cliff Art Space (1993), Fuller Lodge Art Center (1993), Fine Arts Gallery New Mexico State Fair Grounds (1993) and the Santa Fe Community College (1992), and in 1985 at the Colorado Springs Biennial highlights the humanity and defiance of marginalized communities everywhere.
Polina Smutko 2025 Artist Statement
My art practice is deeply personal, drawing on my experiences as a trans/nonbinary person to explore the trauma of dehumanization and marginalization. I use assemblage and installation to confront the societal frameworks used to pathologize and objectify trans and nonbinary people. The objects and materials I use are selected for their poetic/metaphoric and tactile relationship to these experiences and trauma. I aim to challenge viewers to confront their own complicity in systems of oppression question their own biases. Ultimately, I hope my work fosters a greater understanding of the trans experience and cultivates a more just and equitable society where all trans and nonbinary individuals are accepted, respected and celebrated.
SFCC Pop-Up Shows/Exhibitions
SFCC’s short-term pop-up shows are showcased in the Dean’s Gallery in the front lobby of the Fine Arts Center.
Pop-up shows in the Dean’s Gallery are available for viewing during regular campus open hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, contact Director of Art on Campus Linda Cassel via email at linda.cassel@sfcc.edu or by phone at 505-428-1501.
Santa Fe Community College celebrates its 40th Anniversary as the pathway to success for individuals and the community. SFCC provides affordable, high-quality programs that serve the academic, cultural, and economic needs of the community. The college welcomes over 10,000 students per year in credit, noncredit, workforce training, personal enrichment, and adult programs.
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Visit sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1000.
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