Press release for "Mark Dean Veca: Revenge of Phantasmagoria"

              “Veca represents the creativity, diversity, innovation, and vitality of Los Angeles, and as an Otis alumnus,
he reflects the spirit of experimentation that Otis has imbued in its students over the last 90 years,” says
Meg Linton, Director of the Gallery and Curator of this exhibition. “Mark breaks the boundaries of
disciplines and genres, and is an excellent representative from our world-class city because he is able to
expand the bridge of cultural and artistic exchange between Los Angeles and the Guadalajara
community.”
The City of Los Angeles was selected by the FIL as the Guest of Honor for the 2009 fair, the 23rd year of
this event. The book fair takes place in Guadalajara, Mexico from November 28 through December 6,
2009. During these nine days Guadalajara is host to a dynamic literary and cultural festival with more than
600,000 visitors.
Mark Dean Veca
Veca was born in Shreveport, LA in 1963 and currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. He received
his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Otis College of Art and Design in 1985. His work has been exhibited
throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan at institutions such as The Aldrich Contemporary Art
Museum, Ridgefield, CT, PS 1/MoMA Contemporary Art Center, NY, The Brooklyn Museum of Art,
NY, and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco. Veca’s work has been reviewed in numerous
publications including The New York Times, Artforum, Art in America, Art Review, and Flash Art.
Amongst his many honors, Veca has thrice received the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship
and was awarded a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2006.
About Otis
Founded in 1918, Otis College of Art and Design is Los Angeles’ first professional school of art, with a
mission to prepare diverse students to enrich the world through their creativity, their skill, and their vision.
In addition to offering Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in 11 major areas and Masters of Fine Arts in four
areas of concentration, the College offers community engagement programs and two public galleries that
serve all ages. The Ben Maltz Gallery, in particular, presents a diverse program of group and solo
exhibitions in a variety of media and serves Los Angeles' vigorous art community and the city's diverse
public at large.
About City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
The goal of the Department of Cultural Affairs is to enhance the quality of life for Los Angeles’ 4 million
residents and 25 annual visitors by generating and supporting high quality arts and cultural experiences.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts,
both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education.
Related Links:
www.otis.edu/benmaltzgallery
www.markdeanveca.com
www.fil.com.mx/ingles/i_index.asp
Ben Maltz Gallery
Otis College of Art and Design, 9045 Lincoln Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045
310.665.6905, galleryinfo@otis.edu, www.otis.edu/benmaltzgallery
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