Powered By Blogger

August 31, 2011

Back on Campus

Most schools are back in session this week, though slightly delayed due to Irene.  I love visiting Univerisity galleries so here is a re-cap of some great places from the past school year, inspiring you to discover something new when getting back on campus.

Trinity College is a hop, skip and jump from our school so it is an easy and welcomed outing on a spring day.  Their campus chapel is filled with detailed relief carvings on all the pews - perfect for graphite rubbings (and the rev. was amused with our visit).

Mixed Media class trip:




The Smith College Art Museum is always a fav destination because of its close proximity to the center of Northampton.  Our main interest was the "The Last Silent Movie" installation by Susan Hiller (a Smith College alum). With a background in anthropology, Hiller documents on film lost or nearly extinct languages where the speaker is only heard and not seen (except for the scant text identifying the speakers/language titles).  On our way to the museum's artist decorated bathrooms in the lower level, we discovered this illuminated installation by Machiko Agano , whose work I had also experienced at the Fuller Craft Museum.  I love how the delicate woven process creates an imaginative ephemeral environment through its structure.

Creative Response thru Art Class trip:
Machiko Agano

gotta love super sized donut paintings!

artist designed sink in the 'ladies' room
In June Steph and I caught the end of "When I Last Wrote to You about Africa", a retrospective exhibition by Ghana artist El Anatsui at the Davis Museum at Wellesley College.  His shimmering draped wall pieces are made from found aluminum and wire.  it was worth the drive to see them in person!  I especially liked his installation of hundreds of small tin boxes that covered part of the gallery floor in reference to a crowded marketplace.
El Anatsui "Sacred Moon", 2007