Full Circle

early three decades after graduating from Slippery Rock University, Sharif Bey, ’98, returns to his hometown’s cultural forefront with a landmark exhibition at The Andy Warhol Museum—a full-circle moment that reflects both the scale of his artistic ascent and the enduring influence of his SRU roots.

From June 26 to Oct. 12, Bey will be exhibiting his sculptures at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. This exhibition, titled “Homecoming,” pulls from Bey’s experiences across a variety of creative communities, partnerships and residencies, as well as his history as a Pittsburgh native.

“When I was a student at SRU, the Andy Warhol Museum was just getting started,” said Bey, who earned his degree in fine arts: ceramics. “And, since I’ve graduated, I’ve gone off and done quite a few things, but I’m coming full circle here.”

Bey is a professor of studio art at Syracuse University where he’s been a faculty member since 2009. He had the opportunity to come home to Pittsburgh to display his artwork back in 2021 for the Carnegie Museum of Art, but this time feels much different.

“That was a wonderful homecoming about six years ago, but I was still coming into my own in terms of the level of support and notoriety that I had,” Bey said. “But that really positioned me to dream bigger and invest in my work. It’s sometimes discouraging when you’re creating and producing work to go out in the world, and it doesn’t have the kind of impact that you wished for. But, once you get to the point where your work is acquired by major collections and people, it positions you to work on a larger scale.”

For Bey, “larger” is both physical and metaphorical, as his sculptures have generated massive amounts of buzz for their monumental size and scale. He creates complex sculptures inspired by modernism, functional pottery and Oceanic African Art.

“When I’m saying larger scale,” Bey said, “I mean that literally. The works in this upcoming exhibition are mostly monumental. I’m talking five to six and a half feet tall.”

At this point in Bey’s career, the definition of “homecoming” has taken on a different meaning. It is not just about returning home to Pittsburgh, but also about embracing the point of life that you are in and taking pride in where you come from.

“The focus of this show is on homecoming, and what it means to come back to an art community as a seasoned professional,” Bey said. “There aren’t a lot of mid-career Pittsburgh artists who were born and raised there, like I was. I feel like there’s a unique perspective here. I’m turning 52, but I don’t see myself slowing down for another 25 to 30 years at least. I’m excited about this chapter of my life, not only as a working artist, but in being able to take inspiration from my hometown. My city.”

When reflecting on the sources of his creative inspiration, Bey mentioned SRU.

“The impetus of my earliest work was the vessel, and I started to make them at a very young age,” Bey said. “I worked in a community center called the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild; it’s a nationally known community arts organization. They had a world-class visiting artist program, which was so impactful that the arts community, hobbyists, local colleges and professors would converge to partake in it. This program received sponsorship in part by SRU, thanks to the efforts of (Professor Dick Wukich).”

Wukich was a faculty member at SRU from 1968-2011 who passed away in December (see page 15 for memorial).

“(Professor Dick Wukich) was instrumental in working with the founder of the Manchester Craftsmen,” Bey said. “He ensured that these workshops were funded. So here I was, 14 or 15 years old, and I was engaging in hands-on workshops with college students, most of whom were from SRU.”

The early exposure to college-level art encouraged Bey to pursue a career centered around creativity and community.

“Through that program, I had an ongoing dialogue with SRU faculty and students,” Bey said. “Slippery Rock also had a cutting-edge international exchange program, so I knew I would have the opportunity to go abroad.”

During his time at SRU, Bey would go on to travel abroad for a symposium, and from 1994-95, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, before earning his degree at SRU. Bey later earned a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Ph.D. in art education from Pennsylvania State University.

“The thing that made my time at SRU so special, is that when you’d work with other students, you get their network,” Bey said. “Their network then became a part of the arts and educational community. The faculty would host workshops or they would bring other artists in. They’d bring their teachers and colleagues from various universities.”

Bey felt as if there was always a major sense of community among the students and faculty while attending the University, something that could only be captured at a place like Slippery Rock.

“One of the (benefits) about the programming that came out of SRU was that we were taught how to engage with a bigger world from a smaller stage,” Bey said.

Bey’s “Homecoming” exhibition at the Andy Warhol Museum not only highlights his growth as a nationally recognized sculptor, but also reflects the impact of his roots in Pittsburgh. His journey, from early community art programs to international study and large-scale exhibitions, represents how strong artistic foundations and meaningful mentorship can shape a career.