With the Center for Art and Visual Culture's (CAVC) latest exhibit, all eyes are now trained on the arts and the work of UMBC's visual arts faculty. This is the sixth Visual Arts Faculty Biennial and it highlights artists who use an eclectic mix of media in their quest for self-expression and creation. Research projects in photography, painting and graphic design, as well as video, film and interactive media, all show the extensive amount of time that was put into each of these works.
Trying to bring the arts into play at a school that is well known for its prowess in the scientific fields is a challenge, but it is one that CAVC Director Symmes Gardner is dedicated to meet, since the arts are an important part of the fabric of the University. "One of the things we first recognized was that we were amidst a campus of science and research," Gardner says, adding, "We are, in our own way, trying to keep our campus informed of what can happen." Gardner is committed to showcasing the talented visual artists who are a core part of UMBC.
One of the ways CAVC accomplishes this is by bringing in recognized scholars to lecture on their art. Not only are they scholars, they are also artists. An example of this is the Fall 2003 show "Paradise Now," a traveling exhibition that looks at genetic engineering and attempts to offer unique interpretations of the impact it has on society.
It is with this determination, devotion, and passion that CAVC has constructed the Biennial. Something that this exhibit takes into consideration is the concept of the working artist. Visual arts faculty are trendsetters in their respective fields, conducting research, making innovative work and taking art to the next level. Work in the exhibition was carefully chosen to showcase the progressive nature of art at UMBC.
One of the works that stands out is Story of M, by Lynn Cazabon. It consists of almost 150 photographs of different objects owned by M. "Story of M presents the photographic documentation of artifacts form a life time of a single person, outlining a skeletal story of their owner for the viewer to 'write'," Cazabon explains in her artist statement. To truly appreciate the power of this, you must look at the objects you use each day and then imagine a stranger looking at them and gaining insight into your life, learning about you. The voyeuristic quality of this piece is overwhelming, but not disturbing. How often do people look at items colleagues have on their desk and learn something about them? Story of M is no different, only on a much grander scale.
Accompanying the exhibition are two panel discussions. "Practice and Content: Technology and the Arts" was a lively exchange between faculty about the impact that technology has on their personal creation of art. One major topic of interest was the relationship between the computer, Internet and art, and how a large amount of time is spent in front of the computer, rather than in the creation process. Tim Nohe commented that the most important item in a studio should be the couch, not the computer.
The second panel discussion will be held on Monday, December 9 from 12:30 p.m., until 2 p.m. and will focus on "Artmaking in Stressful Times: Influences of 9/11." Guests on this panel include Linda Dusman, chair of the music department; Carol Hess, chair of the dance department; Alan Kriezenbeck, theatre faculty; Anna Rubin, director of interdisciplinary arts and the Linehan Artist Scholar program; and John Sturgeon, chair of the visual arts department. "This panel will look at how 9/11 impacted their works and the fragility of the environment," Gardner reflects, adding, "It set a new tenor on creation."
The Center for Art and Visual Culture is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is located on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building.
Captions (top to bottom)
Mark Street: Guiding Fictions (35mm, 5 minutes, color/sound, 2002)
Teri Rueb: The Choreogpraphy of Everyday Movement
Diyan Achjadi: See Girl Run (digital fabric print)
Lynn Cazabon: The Story of M (direct digital photographs)
For more information:
Department of Visual Arts:
http://art.umbc.edu
UMBC Arts Calendar:
http://www.umbc.edu/arts
- Jennifer Leigh Gibson
