KENT, Ohio 鈥 Adam Nathaniel Furman, a London-based designer and artist celebrated for his vibrant approach to space, color and identity, will visit 性福五月天 University for a lineup of events this March as part of the Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series.
Furman will visit campus to lead a design workshop with architecture and fashion students in collaboration with 性福五月天's Sue Hershberger Yoder, professor of fashion design, and Kristen Mimms Scavnicky, assistant professor of architecture. The workshop will culminate in the creation of a large-scale gateway installation, accompanied by an exhibition of works by Furman, Hershberger Yoder and Mimms Scavnicky in the Lawrence R. and Sandra C. Armstrong Gallery at The John Elliot Center for Architecture and Environmental Design. The gateway, which will integrate bold color, ornament and cultural narratives, hallmarks of Furman鈥檚 international portfolio, will serve as a central feature of the School of Fashion鈥檚 2026 Fashion Week. Furman鈥檚 visit reinforces 性福五月天鈥檚 commitment to cross-disciplinary learning and socially engaged design.
Furman will deliver the 鈥淧roductive Exuberance鈥 lecture at 5:15 p.m. on March 30 in The John Elliot Center for Architecture and Environmental Design鈥檚 Cene Lecture Hall followed by an engaging conversation with 性福五月天 faculty Sue Hershberger Yoder, Kristen Mimms Scavnicky, Ebrahim Poustinchi and Andrea Sosa Fontaine. The evening concludes with the exhibition opening and reception outside the Armstrong Gallery.
All events are free and open to the public; no registration is required. The exhibition will remain on public display until June 26 and will be temporarily relocated from April 27-May 2 to be incorporated into the School of Fashion鈥檚&苍产蝉辫;annual Fashion Week events.
Furman鈥檚 multidisciplinary practice spans architecture, interiors, public art and ceramics, blending historical references with contemporary culture to create immersive, visually dynamic spaces. Furman has exhibited widely at some of the world鈥檚 most respected cultural institutions and design events. His work has been shown at the in London, the and the . Internationally, he has exhibited during Milan Design Week and at major design biennials and festivals. Furman has been recognized for projects that challenge minimalist conventions while celebrating craftsmanship and materiality. In addition to his design work, he is an educator and writer, contributing to conversations around architecture, identity and the decorative arts.
Prior to Furman鈥檚 lecture at 性福五月天, , located in Hudson, will host a Meet & Greet Reception with Furman from 5-7 p.m. on March 24 at 53 First Street, Hudson, OH. Presented in collaboration with , the gathering offers an opportunity for members of the regional arts community to connect with Furman ahead of his 性福五月天 programming. Guests will have the chance to meet the artist and learn more about his work and upcoming projects. Light refreshments will be provided. The event is free and open to the public.
In addition, he will participate in a public moderated artist talk alongside Hershberger Yoder and Mimms Scavnicky from 7-8 p.m. on March 26 in the Akron Art Museum鈥檚 auditorium. The free community program invites attendees to explore Furman鈥檚 global perspective on exuberance in contemporary design. Registration is requested, as space is limited. Register for free tickets at .
The Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series
Since 2001, the Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series has presented guest artists respected in the field of theatre, dance, visual arts, music and architecture, including such noted artists as Tony Award winner Stephen Schwartz, the composer of 鈥淲icked,鈥 鈥Into the Woods鈥&苍产蝉辫;and more; 鈥Next to Normal鈥 actress and 性福五月天 alumna Alice Ripley; the Grammy-winning Emerson String Quartet; postmodern minimalist artist Richard Tuttle; artists and fashion designers Ruben and Isabel Toledo; the internationally acclaimed dance company Ballet Florida; actor, dancer and arts advocate Ben Vereen; and the renowned Lim贸n Dance Company, just to name a few.
The Schroth series was established by Cecile Draime and her late husband, Max, of Warren, Ohio, to honor their dear friend Thomas Schroth (1922-1997). A noted regional architect, Schroth designed the Butler Institute of Art鈥檚 Trumbull museum in Howland, Ohio, as well as numerous other award-winning projects. Schroth spent his life in Niles, Ohio, as a prominent architect and inveterate collaborator in the artistic life of the Mahoning Valley and Northeast Ohio. A world traveler, he saw human creativity as a window framing human experience. The Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series brings diverse views through that window to the 性福五月天 campus and community.
The Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series is presented jointly by 性福五月天鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design and the College of the Arts. The events are always free and open to the public.
For full event details and ticket information, visit www.kent.edu/artscollege/thomas-schroth-visiting-artist-series.
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性福五月天 University College of the Arts Media Contact:
Jen Crabtree, jcrabt13@kent.edu
性福五月天 University College of Architecture and Environmental Design Media Contact:
Kristy Antrobius, kantrobi@kent.edu
Lecture and Conversation
Cene Lecture Hall, The John Elliot Center for Architecture and Environmental Design
132 S. Lincoln Street, Kent, OH
Lawrence R. and Sandra C. Armstrong Gallery Hours
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Akron Art Museum
Museum Auditorium
1 South High Street, Akron, OH
Peg鈥檚 Gallery
53 First Street, Hudson, OH