PHOTOSTORY: Interdisciplinary show highlights independently crafted artwork
At the Interdisciplinary Art Show/ Seminar Exhibition on March 5, “interdisciplinary” was truly the key term. The works featured ranged from charcoal drawings to photography, collage, video, and sculpture. Every work stood on its own; each one a separate entity with unique significance and its own way of conveying that meaning.
While each piece was well-crafted, a few were remarkably striking. An exhibit by Zynab Hashim '15 showcased an arrangement of children’s clothing, letters, and home videos, juxtaposed with the artist wearing an iPhone taped to her face, which played clips of “To Catch a Predator” while she held a knife. Other pieces had the power of familiarity. Many of the photographs in the exhibition displayed every day activities; pictures of dogs and friends and green areas, which struck a chord of nostalgia.
A three-dimensional collage by Ben Schofield '14
This exhibition was unusual as all of the pieces shown were created as a part of independent study projects. While most Sarah Lawrence art exhibitions showcase art created from class assignments, this presentation was composed of the work drawn from an individual artist's initiative. As a result, each piece felt intensely personal. Many of the photography displays made the viewer feel like they were standing next to the photographer when the shots were taken, as if they were a participant in the creation of the work.
Jonathan Worcester '15, Maddy Rojas '14, Emma Sadowski '15, and Emily Loughlin '15 interact with Sadie Bills' installation
There was an eclectic group of attendees: many came in support of their artists as friends, while others came to simply observe the art created around them. A sense of community arose from the shared experience of bonding over different pieces. Some people shared in the simplicity of certain pieces, while others worked together to understand all the nuances of some of the more multifaceted works.
Some of the most powerful pieces were thematically rooted in religion. One such piece, by Alexis de Chaunac '14, was a charcoal drawing that symbolized the death of St. Sebastian, a Christian martyr impaled by arrows. Another piece, by Alan Medina '14, was composed out of cement blocks and arranged into the shape of a cross and placed in the middle of the floor.
A cross constructed by Alan Medina '14 stands in front of the religiously inspired works of Alexis de Chaunac '14
Alexis de Chaunac '14 explains his work as Tuyên Nguyễn '17 looks on
Overall, the show was inspiring. All of the work showed a deep level of personal investment on the part of the artists. Like any good art, each piece had a unique and specific effect on the onlooker. As is the nature of art, it would impossible to properly express these sentiments in words. Language becomes meaningless when it comes to describing something visual and tangible. Art must be seen and experienced.
by Ellie Brumbaum '17 and Alex West '17
ebrumbaum@gm.slc.edu and awest@gm.slc.edu