Events on January 21, 2026

The School of Art is proud to present Checkpoint: Interactive Artworks & Experimental Play , an exhibition by John C. Gonzalez.

The Ned and Gloria Griner Art Gallery
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January 7 to 29, 2026
Exhibition Reception, Gallery Talk and Art Performance: January 7, 4 to 6 p.m.

About the Artist

John C. Gonzalez is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice spans installation, sculpture, painting, performance, writing, music, game design, and socially engaged projects. Deeply collaborative in nature, his work often blurs the lines between artist, viewer, and participant, challenging conventional notions of authorship and production. Gonzalez frequently partners with individuals or institutions not traditionally associated with artmaking to create pieces that reflect shared labor, conversation, and experience. These conversations result in works that are as much about the process and relationships as they are about the final product. Through his ongoing exploration of labor, cooperation, and institutional critique, Gonzalez's practice offers a reflective and often playful lens on the social systems that shape artistic and everyday life. Whether building systems that critique their own fabrication, facilitating game-based art experiences, or searching for meaning in collective action, he consistently seeks to expand the role of the artist beyond the studio and into the shared spaces of work, play, and community. Gonzalez lives in Rhode Island and teaches drawing and game design at Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI.

The exhibition Checkpoint: Interactive Artworks & Experimental Play will include several interactive and game-adjacent artworks in the galleries. These works will include images, performance, and site-specific works that will solicit viewer engagement and provide space for unexpected connections and exchanges.

Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. Closed weekends and all Ball State breaks and holidays.

Join us Wednesdays for a 6 week program to explore drawing materials & mediums. Be challenged through using familiar materials in new ways and new mediums you haven't had the chance to play with yet. 

Ages 9-13 will focus on quick sketches of common items in our space, fun prompts, and tips to learn the new materials. Every other week is a new drawing medium.

Ages 14-24 will focus on quick sketches of live figures and a deep dive on a still life with challenges and tips to get more out of the mediums. Each week is a new drawing medium and still life.

We look forward to drawing with you!