Author: Isabel Osgood-Roach
Within the walls of the Weingart Center for the Liberal Arts lies an exhibition displaying the artistic prowess of Oxy’s most creative minds. Two first-floor rooms highlight multimedia works done by students that took art classes last spring or are taking various studio art classes this semester. The work was chosen based on the art faculty’s recognition of outstanding creative achievement and mindfully arranged by Gallery Manager Jason Manley. “This show represents a full spectrum of art processes and mediums by Oxy students working at all levels, from beginning to advanced courses,” Manley said.
The show consists of wire and clay sculptures, oil on canvas paintings, fabric and thread on acrylic, drawings and photo-etchings. The soft lighting, white walls and pristine wood floors create a setting akin to a professional gallery. The works are scrupulously organized to form an attractive display. To wander, examine and reflect at the gallery is a calm respite from dining hall gossip and stress of studying.
While the Weingart Center clearly can’t compare to Los Angeles’ best-known museums in terms of grandeur and prestige, Occidental’s mini LACMA has its own unique offerings – namely, the connection between viewer and artist. Although the Weingart Center doesn’t only feature student art in its gallery displays, the current show is limited solely to Oxy’s student artists. This automatically adds a personal element to the displayed works, as they were brought to fruition by the same hands scribbling notes in front of us in Media Studies and grabbing turkey wraps in the Marketplace. Our connection to these artists, manifested in shared Oxy experiences, intensifies the intimacy of their artwork.
This publicized privacy is epitomized in Doug Locke’s (senior) painting, entitled “Self Portrait.” Locke, a theatre major and studio art minor, created this piece as his first project in Professor Besemer’s Intermediate Painting class. He described the work as being “about the struggle [he] went through to reconcile the differences between [his] public persona and private self,” or an attempt to depict the “real, full [him],” as opposed to a “two-dimensional character.” Locke enlists repetition (various images of his face) and contrasts natural and monochromatic tones to create a visually striking and impressively rendered work. The artist’s statement that “the making . . . was a very therapeutic process” is evidence that Locke is allowing the viewer to see deeply into both his struggles and triumphs.
The gallery features over 30 student works. “Study of Recollection: Migration, Memory, Genealogy” by Agne Jomantaite (junior) brings a mixed media exploration of mark-making to the space, whereas an untitled, life-sized wire sculpture by Sara Hooker (senior) works to manipulate 3-D space. Delving into various facets of artistic and personal thought, the gallery is captivating and inspiring.
Unfortunately, due to lack of publicity, the Weingart exhibition has gone largely unnoticed. Students may be more interested in seeing their friends, roommates and classmates express themselves rather than an outside artist familiar to only the most studied art student. A “meet and greet” type event, where the artists could discuss their works over cheese and fruit, would be a great opportunity to showcase the Weingart exhibit. At a school as saturated with creativity, intelligence and culture as Occidental, highlighting the artistic abilities of a select group of scholars is not enough. We must tap into our collective appreciation for expression and beauty to create an environment where student art is not only created, but also viewed and discussed.
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