Helguera to deliver next Hixson-Lied Visiting Artist Lecture Nov. 20

November 12, 2025

Pablo Helguera
Pablo Helguera

Lincoln, Neb.—Pablo Helguera, a visual artist living in New York City who is often considered a pioneering figure in the field of socially engaged art, will present the next Hixson-Lied Visiting Artist & Scholar Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Sheldon Museum of Art’s Ethel S. Abbott Auditorium. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Helguera’s practice involves performance, drawing, pedagogy, installation, theater, and other literary strategies. Coming from a family of classical musicians, his work also frequently includes musical elements. 

Helguera is the recipient of many national and international awards, including the Guggenheim and Creative Capital fellowships, as well as the first International Award for Participatory Art in Italy. He has performed and presented his projects in multiple international biennials and venues.

Helguera is the author of numerous books, including “Education for Socially Engaged Art” (2011) and “The Parable Conference” (2014). He has worked as head of public programs at various museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomom R. Guggenheim Museum and the MCA Chicago. 

He is currently assistant professor of arts management and entrepreneurship at The College of the Performing Arts at The New School in New York. He writes a weekly column titled “Beautiful Eccentrics.” 

The remaining lecture in the series is:
• Dec. 4: Kristina Paabus. Paabus is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores systems of power, particularly in Soviet and post-Soviet contexts. Working primarily in printmaking, she exhibits internationally and teaches at Oberlin College, where she is associate professor of studio art in reproducible media.

The School of Art, Art History & Design’s Hixson-Lied Visiting Artist & Scholar Lecture Series brings notable artists, scholars and designers to Nebraska each semester to enhance the education of students. The series is presented in collaboration with Sheldon Museum of Art.

Underwritten by the Hixson-Lied Endowment with additional support from other sources, the series enriches the culture of the state by providing a way for Nebraskans to interact with luminaries in the fields of art, art history and design. Each visiting artist or scholar spends one to three days on campus to meet with classes, participate in critiques and give demonstrations. 

For more information on the series, contact the School of Art, Art History & Design at (402) 472-5522 or e-mail schoolaahd@unl.edu