On Thursday, March 19, “retrospect,” a juried student art exhibition, opened in Fletcher Hall. Artworks on display were created by students majoring or minoring in art, who could submit up to three original works for a $25 fee.
The exhibition was juried by artist David Wolske, a graphic designer and educator whose work is displayed both in the country and internationally. While he did not attend the opening of the exhibition, Wolske chose the recipients for the awards based on skill, creativity and originality of the artists.
First, second and third place were awarded $500, $250 and $150, respectively. There were also two honorable mentions who received $100 and another three honorable mentions with no cash prize.
Out of 231 pieces submitted, 87 are on display. Pieces include paintings, drawings, sculptures, printmaking, design, mixed media, film, photography and animation. They are displayed throughout the Fletcher Hall Gallery on the second floor.
Walking through the gallery, one is able to appreciate many different artworks of various mediums next to each other. On the walls are paintings, drawings, photographs and print pieces. On display stands are sculptures, metalwork and designs. Designs included book covers, board game art and magazine spreads. There was also a sculpture hanging from the ceiling.
In the gallery’s theater, video media was played. The reel included 23 minutes of live-action new media films and both 2-D and 3-D animations.
The award ceremony was held in the Fletcher courtyard. Attendees were welcome to snacks and refreshments and listened to music by DJ D’oro. At 6 p.m., the courtyard was filled with people ready to hear the winners.
The winner of Best of Show was a mixed-media piece titled “Making Home” by Eliza Mai Hinrichs. It includes two little sculpted houses and a painting of two young girls building small houses. Second place went to River Deville for “Beauty Makeup Deep,” a new media film following a person’s emotions while doing their makeup. Third place went to Charity Miller for “She Who Finally Sees,” a painting of a black woman with a third eye surrounded by fish, water and gold details.
The first two honorable mentions were awarded to Raven Grant for “Buy Something or Leave,” a printmaking piece, and to Mary Duhon for “Takostubo,” a sculpture. The last three honorable mentions went to Gunnhild Lantier for printmaking piece “Communion,” Lilith Barton for painting “My Very Own Imaginary Knife” and Moses Fanguy for a photograph “Dyadic Correspondence.”
Moses Fanguy, senior majoring in graphic design, spoke about his photography piece. “I’m taking photography I for the first time. It’s called “Dyadic Correspondence”… I knew I wanted to do something with two figures playing with the scale, pushing and pulling. And I definitely wanted to incorporate light, so I had two different forms of light. I wanted to create kind of an open narrative, it was very heavily directed with the clothes and the fabrics and everything.”
The exhibition will remain on display until Wednesday, April 1 and admission is free.