Faculty art exhibit rocks the RC

"You rock my world!," read one of the many enthusiastic reviews of the Residential College Fine Arts Faculty exhibit found in the exhibit's guest book. The statement reflects to visitors the close-knit support of artistic expression in the Residential College community.

Nestled in back of the Benzinger Library in East Quad, the new gallery was a long-time vision of staff and students, finally completed this past fall. Until this past year, the space was occupied with study cubicles inside the library. Student and faculty art was displayed in makeshift exhibitions in two large lecture rooms.

The creation of the gallery offers RC members a professional space to display their creative efforts, often a culmination of a semester's worth of student work from RC fine arts classes.

Although small, the gallery features large expanses of wall space, as well as niches and shelves for three- dimensional pieces and an adjustable track lighting system.

This year's lineup begins with an exhibit by the four RC arts professors: Mike Hannum, Susan Crowell, Larry Cressman and Ann Savageau. The multimedia show focuses on themes of alternative and subtle communication.

Ceramics Prof. Susan Crowell explores the idea of language without script in her series of ceramic pages, "Crack Language" and "Sensuous Paper/Sexy Text." Although molded from clay, the pages seem to beckon to viewers with human-like gestures, the page communicates without words.

Ann Savageau and Larry Cressman both make use of ordinary elements, such as paper and staples, as well as natural objects like stones and thorns. Savageau's "Sticks, Stones, Words, Bones" plays interestingly on the popular cliché, with a collection of thorns hanging above a bed of shredded paper, rocks, bones, and wood.

Cressman also uses shredded paper and other odds and ends to recreate the artistic process in "Drawing in Transition."

Mike Hannum captures the urban language of graffiti in his "Paris 1998" photography series. Unconventional angles, close-range shots and vibrant colors brings the character of Parisian streets to life.

The exhibit as a collective demonstrates the infinite and varied methods of both verbal and non-verbal expression, the display enhances the impact by interspersing the different pieces of each artist.

The art faculty exhibit will run through Oct. 6.

09-21-98