WHAT: The New Mexico State University Art Museum (UAM) is hosting an opening reception for two new exhibitions that will be on display over the summer: "Homage to Then/Small Worlds" by Louis Ocepek and "Mapping Spaces: Selections from the Lannan Art Collection at NMSU." The public is invited to the free opening reception for both exhibitions on June 11.

WHO: "Homage to Then/Small Worlds" by Louis Ocepek is a two-part exhibition of digital prints, paintings and gravure prints, which are made by engraving a design onto a metal cylinder, submerging it in ink and rolling it across the final canvas to transfer the design. Ocepek is a local artist who works in a variety of media. His paintings, prints and hybrid works are part of the public art collections of Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and Texas. He is also a former art department head and professor emeritus at NMSU.

"Mapping Spaces: Selections from the Lannan Art Collection at NMSU" will showcase selected works from the 63 pieces the Lannan Art Collection gifted to the NMSU Permanent Art Collection in 2024. The Lannan Foundation supported nonprofit organizations in contemporary visual art, literature and cultural freedom. After nearly 65 years, the foundation announced its closure and gifted its remaining collection to 55 institutions, including the UAM. This gift helps the NMSU Permanent Art Collection continue to evolve as both a repository of contemporary art and as a resource that continues the discussion of the role artists play in the border region.

"Mapping Spaces" features artists such as Claudia Andujar, Subhankar Banerjee, Max Cole, Pard Morrison, Victoria Sambunaris and James Turrell, displaying a variety of themes and styles. The artists in this collection embody the UAM's mission to emphasize the importance of support for art, research and community-engaged practices.

WHEN: The opening reception for the exhibitions is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 11. "Mapping Spaces" is on display until September 5, and "Homage to Then/Small Worlds" is on display until September 12. The art museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: The opening reception for these exhibitions is at the University Art Museum at New Mexico State University, 1308 E. University Ave. "Homage to Then/Small Worlds" will be on display in the Mullennix Bridge Gallery and "Mapping Spaces" will be in the Contemporary Gallery.

VISUALS: "Homage to Then/Small Worlds" explores the physical world through an abstract lens. "Homage to Then" includes 16 gravure prints and four paintings, while "Small Worlds" includes an array of prints and acrylic and gouache paintings. The two collections reflect on the aesthetics of time, space and the perceptions of the physical and metaphysical worlds.

"Mapping Spaces: Selections from the Lannan Art Collection at NMSU" showcases works from the wide variety of artistic approaches and mediums in the Lannan Art Collection. The selected pieces explores landscapes and the environment, documentary photography, abstraction and traditional art historical references from the perspective of different artists.

Details on UAM exhibitions and programming are available at https://uam.nmsu.edu/. The art museum is located in Devasthali Hall at New Mexico State University, 1308 E. University Ave. The art museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m