10/21/2004

Contact: K.E. Schwab  -- 724-738-2199;  e-mail: karl.schwab@sru.edu

FRENCH WEEK AT SRU TO INCLUDE FABRIC ART DEMONSTRATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA

             SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – “Focus on French Week” (La Semaine du français), sponsored by Slippery Rock University’s modern languages and cultures department, will feature West African artist Saihou from Gambia whose specializes in batik, a medium of decorating fabric for clothing learned from his mother, a French lawn game, discussion of classes taken in France and a French film.

The week runs Oct. 25-28 and all events are free and open to the public.    

Batik is a technique making use of wax and dyes to produce vividly colored artworks with Saihou teaching the art across the state as part of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, as a member of the Fibrerarts Guild and the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh. While at SRU, he will demonstrate the batik art in the Printmaking Studio of the Art Building at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 28.

The artist’s work has been displayed in numerous galleries in the Pittsburgh area and has appeared in several local newspapers and magazines. His other creative pursuits include photography, costume and fashion design, garment construction, silkscreen printing, dance, guitar and percussion.

           The week’s Oct. 25 opening will see a 4 p.m. demonstration outside Bailey library of pétanque, a French lawn game similar to Italian bocci. From 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 26 SRU French students will discuss their semester study in Cannes, France, and a French luncheon will be part of the event held in Carruth Rizza Hall.

           The French comedy “Dîner de Cons” will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in Carruth Rizza.

The week is sponsored by the International Arts and Cultures Series, the department of modern languages and cultures, the Office of International Initiatives, the art department, the SRU Art Club, French Club, and the College of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts.

PN, PgN, WPN, PR