AMBER MATTICE
Assistant Reverb Editor
Art itself is a concept with no boundaries. What defines art is left to the individual experiencing it. This is exactly the idea that the Visual Arts and New Media (VANM) faculty had in mind when planning the two Senior Shows this year.
The opening of Senior Show II will be held on April 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Marion Art Gallery.
It is not an event that any student will want to miss, as the gallery will be featuring work from 12 senior art students and will include animations, illustrations, sculptures, a three-channel video, a board game prototype, a handmade paper installation and even a new app.
Director of Marion Art Gallery Barbara Rӓcker touched on the importance of diversity in the gallery.
“In the past, the two Spring Senior Shows were divided by fine arts and graphic design because that is what the student participants preferred. However, VANM faculty and I changed that because it did not seem appropriate to segregate graphic design students,” said Rӓcker. “Graphic design can be fine art, and fine art can be good design. I now try to divide concentrations evenly between the two exhibitions.”
With multiple media being presented in the show this year, students are sure to have their interests peaked by something.
All of the seniors and VANM faculty have been working extremely hard to ensure that the Senior Show is everything that it can be. The goal is to not only showcase and celebrate the work of graduating seniors, but to inspire art students currently working towards having their own work in future shows.
“The Senior Show, in my opinion, is one of the most important events of the year. This show is a culmination of years of study and hard work for those presenting their work,” said senior BFA sculpture major Eric Ryberg. “But as rewarding as the show is for those of us presenting, I hope it is equally as important and rewarding to the faculty who have spent years guiding us to this point, as well as the students who will be returning in the Fall to continue their hard work towards their senior show.”
Each piece is incredibly different, and each student has taken various inspirations in order to create the final product.
“Nostalgia is a running theme and inspiration to me. But here I’ve focused my efforts more on the objects that can evoke those memories or experiences and how they play off one another or interact,” said Zachary Tietje, a senior BFA animation and illustration major. His work is titled “Conversations.”
It is definitely not going to be a boring gallery. With the various media and themes, looking in every direction of the gallery will be like taking in a breath of fresh air.
One thing every artist and the VANM faculty are excited for is the ability for underclassmen to come and look at the work.
Ryberg, for example, said, “I believe it is very important for underclassmen to attend the opening because it allows them the opportunity to see the end result of someone who has been in their shoes. By going to the opening, they can gain a better understanding of what their futures at Fredonia entail, as well as talk with those who have already gone through their years of study.”
Students are encouraged to go and talk to one another about the creative process and, hopefully, learn something new from their peers.
Because of the variety and diversity among the artists and products, the gallery is sure to be relatable in many aspects, as well as eye-catching.
Rӓcker is excited for the show to finally be on display and hopes “visitors also come away with an understanding of the importance of visual arts for a balanced, creative society.”