BETHANY CLANCY
Staff Writer
With the semester coming to an end, so is the time left for the seniors here at Fredonia.
Every year, the visual art and new media (VANM) students that are graduating have the opportunity to put some of their favorite works in the Cathy and Jesse Marion Art Gallery located in Rockefeller Art Center.
This year, since the art department couldn’t fit all 18 students in one exhibit, the senior showcase has been split into two weeks.
Each gallery has an opening reception with snacks provided by FSA. It gives the artists an opportunity to answer questions about their displayed work and for their friends, professors and other students to view what they have worked on throughout the semester.
The first of the two gallery openings happened on April 13, which was titled “Paraskavedekatriaphobia: a fear of Friday the 13th.”
Courtney Cutter, senior BFA photography major with a minor in art history, titled her collection, “Belladonna.”
“It includes five photographic portraits of five different women — including a self portrait. Choosing my photographs was the challenging part, I initially shot two different portfolios, and ended up combining the two to create a stronger and more compelling concept,” Cutter said. “One of my portfolios was solely based on fashion photography and learning to work with the lighting and placement of the model, while the other portfolio was a narrative portrait series of women, which is what eventually influenced the combination of these two portfolios.”
Belladonna identifies the aesthetic of images drawn from the 1950s, paying close attention to dress and self-expression. Every image projects the idea of dual personalities: the relationship between inner self versus outer self.
These images reflect lust and desire, while focusing on the representation and empowerment behind the female gaze. They address the issues of the stereotypical 1950s housewife, where women were taught to be conservative and to be the caregiver of the household in the idealistic utopian society. These photographic narratives represent the desires of each woman shown, giving empowerment to other women who also possess similar desires.
The title “Belladonna” is an Italian word meaning “fair lady.” Scientifically known as “Atropa belladonna,” it is commonly known as “deadly nightshade,” a poisonous plant with its first known use dated in 1597.
It has been said that women of this time used the plant as a cosmetic to give their skin a natural pallor.
The toning and desaturated aesthetics in each photograph refers back to the title, “Belladonna,” incorporating the cosmetic use of the plant as a means for beauty, while also poisoning its user.
“The message of this series is not the traditional aesthetic of ‘sex sells,’ but about the empowerment of each model and their expression of femininity,” Cutter said.
Cutter opened up about where she sees herself post-graduation and in the future.
“After graduation, I would hopefully like to land a position within a company, working in commercial/fashion photography, while also doing some freelance work on the side. Right now I am applying to multiple companies in hopes that I land a spot, and, more importantly, I am making some valuable connections with people that are already are currently in my desired career.”
The next portion of the senior show will take place on April 27 and will feature work from several artists, including Karissa Lubberts.
Lubberts is a VANM and art history double major. She shared the story behind the work she’ll be including in her senior show, and she discussed her journey throughout her years Fredonia.
“I’ll be including an installation of narrative embroideries that show intimate and close moments with loved ones,” she said. “I began making these works at the beginning of last semester and fell in love with the medium of embroidery as well as depicting moments I hold close to the heart.”
“As a double major in art history and visual arts, I enjoy both looking at and making art,” Lubberts continued. “The majors work really well together and the work I do in the classroom impacts what I do in the studio, and vice versa.”
Lubberts has hopes and plans for her future post-Fredonia.
“I’d like to go into museum education, and am proud to say I’ve accepted a summer internship in the Education Department at the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo,” she said. “To me, that is a dream come true and I couldn’t be more excited for it to start.”
She also reminisced on her time here at Fredonia, along with how it has impacted her art.
“It’s hard to sum up how my four years at Fredonia have influenced my work; it’s completely changed it, and Fredonia has helped me grow as a person and thus as an artist,” she said. “I came to Fredonia to concentrate in drawing and painting and had never worked three dimensionally before. I quickly realized I wanted to change my concentration to sculpture and pick up a minor in art history . . . .”
Lubberts credits her time spent here with motivating her to do her best work
“I wouldn’t trade my time at Fredonia for any other university. The small class sizes, dedicated professors and the friendships I made in the studio pushed me to work hard and discover what I love,” she said. “I think that’s how Fredonia has influenced me in all aspects. I was challenged to discover what I love and work hard through that process.”