RICKELS' ESSAY Crockett Fortune Katz Pearlstein Robinson Shaw Tapola Weaver Welch

BRUCE TAPOLA St. Paul, MN STATEMENT Bruce Tapola's unapologetic, smart ass paintings deflate the pretensions and aestheticisms of modern art. Recycling abandoned student paintings, Tapola depicts such scenarios as; the swinging scene at Piet Mondrian's bachelor pad, a De Stijl still, and formless puddle sculptures instructing the "World's Greatest Artist" on the metaphysical do's and don't's of cubism. Timothy Leary meets Garrison Keiller in the Bud Bowl of questionable taste where notions of 'masterpiece' and 'inspiration' are wryly trounced. EDUCATION Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana MFA 1983 University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah BFA 1979 SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 1996 Installation of W. M. Price, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. 1995-96 McKnight Artists MCAD, Minneapolis, MN. 1995-96 McKnight Artists, North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks, ND. 1995 3 person show Katherson show Catherine Nash Gallery. 1995 " Truck"installation, Walker Art Center. 1994 5th Anniversary Speedboat Group. 1993 "After Adam and Eve."Thomas Barry Fine Arts, World Trade Center, St. Paul, Minnesota. Group Exhibition. "I Wuv You" Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Collaborative Installation with Melba Price and Oakley Tapola. Critics Choice, Mary Abby, Star Tribune, review October Artforum by VinceLeo. School of Art Invitational Alumni Exhibition, Haynes Fine Arts Gallery, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana. 1992 "Wickiup"Solo Installation, Speedboat Gallery, St. Paul, Miry, St. Paul, Minnesota. Reviews by Diane Hellekson, St. Paul Pioneer Press and Nancy Robinson, Artpaper. " Misfit Lit- Contemporary Comic Art."Curated by Larry Reid of Fantagraphics. Artifex Alternative Art Museum, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Group Exhibition. "Painting at the Nash."Katherine E. Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Group Exhibition. "Elvisart. " World Tattoo Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. Group Exhibition. 1991 "Love Nest."Solo Installation, Speedboat Gallery, St. Paul, Minnesota. Review by Diane Hellekson, St. Paul Pioneer Press. "Elvisart."World Tattoo Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. Group Exhibition. "Lollapalooza."Group Exhibition, Harriet Island, St. Paul, Minnesota. 1990 "The Summerrl Minnesota. 1990 "The Summer Show with Karen Finley. " World Tattoo Gallery Chicago, Illinois. 1990- Artpolice Comics. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Artpolice is an present on going group printmaking project that is published thrre times per year. 1989 "Club Umbari."Installation with Jay Salinas, Melba Price and Phil Kalinowski. Abandoned 3-flat, Chicago, Illinois. 1988 "Doomed Theories."Solo Exhibition, XXXyna Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. 1985 Three Person Exhibition, Eve Drewlow Gallery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. "The I Fixation Show."BBC Disco, Chicago, Illinois. Group Exhibition. 1984 "Artists Call."Beacon St. Hull House. Chicago, Illinois. Professional Activities/Teaching Experience 1995 Guest Artiss University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. 1994 Instructot, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. 1994 Instructor, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota-Begin Drawing. 1989 Visiting Professor, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. Duties: Teach Beginning Painting, Intermediate Painting, and Beginning Life Drawing. Critique and evaluate graduate and undergraduate students during mid-semester and semester reviews. Participate in review and selection of prospective graduate students. 1987 Visiting Artist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. 1985 Visiting Artist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. 1980-83 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana. Duties: Teach seven semesters of F of Foundation Drawing and two semesters of Color Theory. G. T. A.'s at Montana State University are solely responsible for the development of Color Therory. G. T. A.'s at Monatana State University are solely responsible for the development and implementation of course material. I was awarded a G. T. A. for each of the nine semesters I attended Montana State University.