Communitas Lecture Series: Zora Murff and Rana Young

Zora J Murff is an artist, educator, and Assistant Professor of Art and Black Studies in the School of Art + Design at the University of Oregon. He received his MFA in studio art from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a BS in psychology from Iowa State University. Drawing from his background as a social worker for youth on court probation, Murff’s photography unearths hidden histories and offers visual investigations of Black life, often addressing the violent paradoxes created by imperial paradigms. His bold, straightforward visual language encourages viewers to reflect on the power that visual culture holds over understandings of race, class, and societal hierarchies.

Rana Young is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Art in the School of Art + Design at the University of Oregon. She earned her MFA in Studio Art from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a BFA in Studio Art from Portland State University. Through her practice, Young employs photography to construct autobiographical narratives set within the Midwest landscape. Her projects utilize staged scenes, archival images, and documentary techniques to confront and articulate the complex dynamics of familial bonds, hereditary trauma, childhood abandonment, and mental illness.

When

Thursday, November 05, 2026 | 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Where

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall

Event Type

Arts/Entertainment

Department

Art and Design

Target Audience

Students,Alumni,Faculty,Staff,General Public,Parents,Prospective Students

Website

https://artsci.usu.edu/art-design/events/communitas/

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Information/Cost

FREE and open to the public

Event Contact

Name: USU Art + Design Department
Phone: 435-797-3460
Email: art@usu.edu

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