“For art students, a gallery exhibition is practice for professional careers. The chance to display one’s artwork in a gallery is an opportunity to fully commit to what one has created,” said Jamie Platt, the galleries director for the School of Art and Design. “It is a moment of truth. Artwork leaves the safety of the studio and stands boldly for all to see. It is a locus of communication where a human being engages as an artist with those outside of themselves.”
The 35th Annual Student Juried Exhibition is popular and one of the most exciting exhibitions of the year, Platt said, as Marshall art students are challenged to submit their best work. An outside juror reviews the work and selects best of the best to be part of this annual exhibition. Eight of the artworks will be awarded cash prizes.
This year’s juror is Erika B. Hess, a painter recognized for her use and interest in color. Her work has been exhibited nationally, including locations such as Prince Street Gallery in New York City, Last Projects in Los Angles, and the Boston Center for the Arts. Her work has been featured in various publications and was selected by John Seed to be featured in “Fifty Memorable Artists 2015.” Hess also created the podcast, “I Like Your Work,” and is a co-founder of MUSA Collective, an artist-run collective in Boston.
“This year’s exhibition promises to be an eclectic mix of painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture,” Platt said. “Visitors to the gallery will have a front row seat for the early personal explorations of some extraordinary student artists.”
There will be a virtual awards reception at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 24. Attendees must preregister for the virtual reception. To register, visit the news and events tab of the website: https://www.marshall.edu/art-galleries/news-and-events/
Following on the heels of this exhibition is Foundations Review: Selected Student Works. One of two milestone exhibitions at the School of Art and Design, this show catches students early in their academic careers. The works in this show are hand selected by faculty and include a wide range of media, including printmaking, photography, drawing, painting, sculpture and ceramics.
There will be a virtual awards reception on Wednesday, April 14, at 5:30 p.m. Attendees must preregister for the virtual reception. To register, visit the news and events tab of the website: https://www.marshall.edu/art-galleries/news-and-events/
Both exhibits will be in the Birke Art Gallery inside Smith Hall. The Birke Art Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesday or by appointment. Visitors may schedule a visit to the Birke Art Gallery by calling 304-696-4312 or by emailing galleries@marshall.edu.
The final offering of the Spring 2021 exhibition calendar is a series of four Senior Capstone exhibitions that begin Monday, March 29, at the Charles W. and Norma C. Carroll Gallery. The gallery will be transformed weekly by seniors presenting bodies of artwork that represent the culmination of their undergraduate careers.
This year’s graduating class will present works of painting, drawing, audio, video, ceramics, sculpture, photography, printmaking and graphic design. Student Shen Liu invented a novel solution to the problem of food delivery during a pandemic. Visitors to Liu’s exhibition will see a prototype of the delivery vehicle made using a 3D printer along with a video and posters describing his design.
Senior Capstone exhibitions will be on view Monday through Thursday, by appointment. To schedule an appointment, simply call 304-696-7299 or e-mail tylert@marshall.edu. There will be a virtual reception for each group. Attendees will see each student give a brief presentation about their work. Attendees must preregister for the virtual receptions. When signing up, they will see information about how it is necessary to only sign up once. To register, visit the news and events tab of the website: https://www.marshall.edu/art-galleries/news-and-events/
Dates for the Senior Capstone Exhibitions are as follows:
Group 1: March 29 – April 1, 2021 Virtual Reception: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 30
Group 2: April 5 – 8, 2021 Virtual Reception: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 6
Group 3: April 12 -15, 2021 Virtual Reception: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 13
Group 4: April 19 – 22, 2021 Virtual Reception: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 20.