JIMMY KELLER
Staff Writer
Photograph by Chloe Kowalyk, Editor in Chief.
Art has an ability that people may only subconsciously recognize.
Spaces have the potential to facilitate greater productivity, lower stress and enhance energy levels, among other benefits. If this is true, why don’t environments, especially those around our campus, consist of more student artwork?
Rockefeller Arts Center is flourishing with artistic life. The energy within the building is unmatched to the other 30 academic and administrative buildings, with the possible exception of the music that erupts from Mason Hall.
While many places beyond Rockefeller have either artwork or sculptures, there are many areas left bare and unlively.
Artwork has a place beyond the walls of the Arts Center, and has tremendous positive effects that are very much underutilized. Art transforms emotions and energizes spaces beyond what traditional architecture can do.
A study of more than 6,000 office workers concluded that a well-designed space (including inspiring artwork) helps workers be 20% more productive.
It then seems to be clear that student and faculty productivity could experience benefits by incorporating more artwork in study spaces, hallways, residence halls, common places and throughout the grounds of campus.
In Art Forum’s most recent meetings, a large group of students from inside and outside of the art department have expressed concerns with the lack of student artwork across the university.
Sara Neumar, public relations representative for Art Forum, elaborated on this thought process.
Neumar said, “We mentioned adding a mural to a section of McEwen, and maybe some more outdoor installations as well. We also discussed the idea of collaborative work with other clubs, and perhaps even other schools, like the local elementary, middle and high schools.”
The section of McEwen that is described by Neumar is the dreary stretch that people are forced through to access the library. It is the same path that is not only walked by students, but also by a great amount of the community. It’s almost as if the designers were intentionally trying to make an uninspiring place where students didn’t want to hang out.
This one example is just the beginning.
Artwork has a place within the static environment of the Williams Center. It can lighten up the colorlessness of Thompson and Fenton. Even with the modern architecture of Houghton Hall and the Science Center, art can be utilized to expand knowledge of environmental science or even detail collaborations with current research.
Biology major, Alyscia Le-Tran, gave her thoughts on the topic, as she spends a majority of the time within the Science Center. “It would be interesting to see more interactive components to the Science Center, even if it was just for fun. It could also serve as an educational tool.”
Art has a place in all majors and all buildings, and can positively impact more than just what we see in Rockefeller.
Where is all this new art coming from though? The campus needs more art, and meanwhile, there are hundreds of Visual Arts and New Media (VANM) students trying to seek out real-life experiences and more exposure for their artwork.
Students have an inherent drive to improve the campus they will occupy for four years. SUNY Fredonia will forever be a part of each and every one of us and many students would be ecstatic for the opportunity to create a commission that will have a lasting effect on their school.
Whether this commission is funded by a newly formed scholarship, donated or created in collaboration with Art Forum and other clubs, there are many sources for student artwork. It can form a mutualism between students and the rest of the campus.
For art students, it would support professional and career development, which is already very challenging for these students due to the lack of education on how to make a living as a professional artist.
Neumar stated, “I believe that art, especially student-made, can bring more liveliness to this campus, as well as create more opportunities for art- and non-art-major students to be creative outside of class work. I also feel it can encourage discussions [and] expose students to peer work.”
In Neumar’s opinion, “The VANM department is one of, if not the, biggest major(s) on campus, so I feel it would be a missed opportunity to not utilize our collective talents in beautifying the campus.”
SUNY Fredonia has a responsibility as one of the top-rated SUNY art schools to fulfill its potential and expectations. Every student and faculty member wants Fredonia’s campus to become the best it can be, but we all realize there is room for improvement. So why not tap into a core strength of the campus to push this artistry even further?
The diversity among campus is impressive.
Students choose Fredonia’s art program for a reason. With VANM consistently increasing in enrollment and now becoming the largest liberal arts program on campus this year, it will continue to grow in the future.
I think SUNY Fredonia has a responsibility to transform the environment into an even greater flourishing art community beyond just Rockefeller Arts Center. It cannot be done alone though, and needs support from administration, which shouldn’t be a problem considering the significant benefits improving the campus would have on current and potential students. Fredonia’s art scene can be pushed further, but often gets put on the back-burner.
Art has the power to transform spaces into more energized, productive environments for the students, for the public, for the faculty and for thousands of other undecided individuals searching for an inspiring campus.