The Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) is currently hosting a solo exhibition featuring the work of Dr. Brian Corr, an associate professor of art at Hastings College. “Brian Corr: Of Light and Shadow” is in MONA’s second-floor rotating gallery through September 20. It marks Corr’s first solo museum exhibition and serves as a comprehensive survey of his work spanning the last 20 years.
Corr, an internationally recognized glass artist, creates large-scale installations and sculptures that treat light and shadow as physical materials. His work is deeply influenced by his time living in Australia and Japan, as well as his doctoral research into the aesthetic elements of contemplative space in Japanese architecture.
“The work is not about the object itself, but about the experience the object facilitates,” Corr noted regarding his creative philosophy. “It’s about creating a space for stillness, presence and a deeper awareness of the environment around us.”
A centerpiece of the exhibition is the 2007 architectural installation titled “One.” Originally created for Corr’s master’s thesis show at the Australian National University, the work has been exhibited twice in Australia but is making its United States debut at MONA. The installation anchors a body of work that emphasizes “perceptual liminality” — the threshold between the physical world and a transcendent experience.
Corr’s journey with glass began at Hastings College, where he studied as an undergraduate before working and teaching internationally. He returned to the College as a faculty member in 2020, bringing experience from institutions like the Toyama City Institute of Glass Art in Japan, the Pilchuck Glass School and the Corning Museum of Glass, among others.
His work is held in permanent collections globally, including the National Gallery of Australia, the Toledo Museum of Art, and the Denver Art Museum.
To provide deeper insight into the collection, MONA released a short video with Corr that can be viewed at vimeo.com/1173396080.
“Of Light and Shadow” offers viewers a reprieve from modern distractions, transforming the gallery into a space for meditation and reflection.
For museum hours and more information, visit mona.unk.edu.
About The Museum of Nebraska Art
The Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) celebrates the history of Nebraska’s visual art for diverse audiences. MONA collects, preserves, researches, exhibits and interprets the work of artists who were born, lived, trained or worked in Nebraska or who created artworks that reflect the culture of Nebraska.
As the home of Nebraska’s official state art collection, the Museum of Nebraska Art endeavors to be the cultural center for Nebraska art and artists by providing quality exhibitions and programs and expanding its collection.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Founded in 1882, the College is dedicated to student success and service to the community. Discover more at hastings.edu.