Josh Duncan
Central Library Bubbler Room
June - July 2016
Josh Duncan graduated from UW-Madison’s MFA in Studio Art program in 2016. During his studies, he emphasized in comics, studying under Professor Lynda Barry. Working with other comics students, Duncan organized and participated in comic workshops at art festivals and the Madison Children’s Museum.
Duncan employed avant-garde elements to his art practice and its respective performance. On the cusp of graduation in April 2016, Duncan created Mr. Chalk Madison. Mr. Chalk wore white clothes and used white chalk to create comics along State Street. Captions such as “physics might explain that none of this is real” underscore the humor and reliability of comics’ relevance to the human condition.
For his residency with The Bubbler, Duncan explored the library and all its workings through his comics. He read books and made comics, both about the books he is reading and about resources at the library itself. His drawings and drawing exercises encouraged visitors, particularly kids, to explore and make discoveries in the library.
Return to the residency archive.
