Naoco Wowsugi Associate Professor Art
- Degrees
- Wowsugi received an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BFA from both the Kansas City Art Institute and Osaka University of Arts in Japan.
- Bio
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Naoco Wowsugi is a community-engaged artist who blurs the lines between being an artist and an engaged citizen. As a first-generation immigrant living and working in Washington, DC, Wowsugi's cross-disciplinary projects—including portrait photography, participatory performance, sound healing, and horticulture—explore the nature of belonging and inclusive community building.
In recent years, Wowsugi has closely collaborated with hyperlocal communities. Inspired by the ideas of bioregionalism, which examines how nature affects the livelihood and the relationships among local cultures and people, Wowsugi's projects highlight and fortify everyday communal and interpersonal identities.
Wowsugi's notable exhibitions and talks include “How Can We Gather Now?” presented by the Washington Project for the Arts, Washington, DC (2023); “Very Sad Lab: The Incubator” at Transformer, Washington, DC (2022); “Care Package” presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (2020); “Fungus Among Us” at Redux Contemporary Art Center, Charleston, SC (2019); and “Open Engagement” at Queens Museum, Queens, NY (2018). The awards and fellowships include The Surf Point Foundation Residency (2022), Oak Spring Garden Foundation Residency (2022), Wherewithal Project Grants from the Washington Project for the Arts and The Andy Warhol Foundation (2022), and The Rauschenberg Residency (2017). www.wowsugi.com
- See Also
- artist website
- For the Media
- To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.
Teaching
Spring 2024
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ARTS-235 Artist's Perspect: Video Art
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ARTS-235 Artist's Perspect: Video Art
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ARTS-400 Senior Seminar
Summer 2024
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ARTS-245 Artist's Persp: Digital Photog
Fall 2024
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ARTS-235 Artist's Perspect: Video Art
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ARTS-235 Artist's Perspect: Video Art
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ARTS-245 Artist's Persp: Digital Photog
Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities
Exhibitions/Performances
Very Sad Lab: reviewed by Washington City Paper and Fox5 News.