Separated by the whole of the country, two university art museums currently exhibiting the work of the late artist, Jan Sawka, have joined together to present an online symposium on Sawka’s profoundly touching and, ultimately, humane work. The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA) at Cal State San Bernardino and The Dorsky Museum both opened exhibitions of his work and full programs of events were planned for each institution throughout the run. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, both museums closed to visitors in mid-March.

The museums and exhibition curators, have partnered to create an online symposium. Viewers from around the world will be able to join in as symposium speakers consider Jan Sawka’s life and achievement—and the connection of his career and art with California and New York— from several points of view, including the biographical, the historical, the technical, and the personal—yielding a composite portrait of this protean and visionary artist. Viewers will be able to engage with the speakers over live Q&A chats. Presenters include Dr. Ksenia Nouril, Dr. Peter Schwenger, Dr. Tom Wolf, Beth Wilson, Peter Frank, Hanna Sawka (Jan Sawka’s widow), Dr. Sławomir Magala, and the exhibition co-curators Hanna Maria Sawka, MFA and Dr. Frank Boyer.
The online symposium will take place on May 2 at 1 p.m. EST.