The first half of the Shippensburg University art seminar class presented the culmination of its experience Saturday afternoon in the Huber Art Center’s Kauffman Gallery.
The exhibit showed pieces by senior art and design majors Dessy Cashell, Jessica Epstein, Thomas Fizzano, Natallia Grinevich, Kennedy Kegler, Katherine Killmeyer, Savannah Manetta, Abigail Martin and Jordana Wagner.
Michael Campbell, director of the Kauffman Gallery, said art seminar takes place over two semesters. During this time, senior art and design students learn practical job-searching skills while simultaneously creating a body of work for display in the Kauffman Gallery over the course of eight months.
One unique work was Manetta’s, whose boxed panoramas discussed various themes in her life.
Manetta produced small panoramas in enclosed boxes with a viewing hole on the outside to force the viewer to see her art in a specific way.
The boxes were attached at various heights to the wall to force individuals to look in at the piece from the top or bottom, depending on their height, which iterated that one must be willing to look at the world from different sides to truly understand it.
“We don’t perceive objects as they are, we perceive them as we are,” Monetta said, quoting an artist.
Wagner’s sculpture titled: “Grab Her By the P****. You can do anything” stood at human height in the middle of the room.
This exhibit showed a singular hole in the side of the pillar with clay casts of Wagner’s hands grasping toward it.
The hole represented a vagina as nothing more than an object of male pleasure. Meanwhile, a cast of Wagner’s face sat at eye-level. Wagner’s exhibit directly defied comments President Donald Trump made in 2005. Wagner expressed concern regarding those in positions of power saying what Trump said.
Cashell presented two ceramic vases focused around the four elements, while Epstein showed several portraits of endangered animals on the wall which revolved around endangered species. Fizzano focused his presentation on four bodies of work featuring themes that modern college students may relate to, such as the temptations and consequences of drugs and sex. Grinevich, whose work is also on display in the Brindle Gallery until April 4, showed several letters that spelled out “desire” cast over pictures in New York City.
Kegler showed three sculptures of common household furniture intended for infants, which emphasized protecting and caring for young children. Killmeyer showed two portraits of distorted faces which, while recognizable as human faces, are individual, unique and beautiful in their own ways. Martin showed three prints of pictures she took showing “movement.”
The Senior Exhibit will remain open until April 5, and will reopen April 13 with the second half of art seminar students’ work.
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