Errors hinder AIDS exhibition

Since most central campus community members do not frequent North Campus on a regular basis, an art exhibit staged in Pierpont Commons would have to be both enticing and unique to draw a significant number of visitors who did not live or study in the building's immediate vicinity. Yet the newest exhibit to open there - a small, uninspired presentation that attempts to stress AIDS awareness - is not even alluring enough to attract those who normally visit the area.

The presentation, neither intriguing nor striking, focuses on a selection of artwork located in one of the building's lounges. The exhibit dominates the room; there are works featured both in the center of the area and on three of the four walls surrounding the lounge's furniture.

Upon first glancing at the multitude of works, most consisting of red, black and clear horizontal and vertical banners, it is easy to discern the topic of the exposition. Phrases such as "End the silence" and "totally preventable" jump out at the viewer, as do the ubiquitous red ribbons, symbols for AIDS awareness.

A closer look at the artwork, however, shows that much of it has been assembled without a great deal of care. For example, the center of the lounge features two clear plastic cubes, one on top of the other. Affixed to two sides of each cube are long clear sheets of plastic with AIDS statistics and information written on them in black paint. A closer look, though, shows that the plastic cubes are conspicuously cracked, an example of negligence that the artists could have easily corrected before the exhibit debuted.

Perhaps even greater testament to the presentation's mediocre assemblage is the artwork located on the exhibit's south wall. This side of the exposition consists of eight vertical banners - four made of a clear plastic which, once again, feature AIDS information and statistics in black writing - mounted on glass. The painters have highlighted the most important phrases on the banners by painting a white background behind them. Perhaps they did not intend for anyone to read what they had written, however, for they have carelessly misspelled many words which are central to the comprehension of the phrases.

For example, instead of writing "avoiding the sharing of needles," the artists chose instead to paint "avoing" and "needle's." In addition, the painters frequently added or left off portions of the phrases' words. "Ununprotected" appears instead of "unprotected," 't' in lieu of "to." The effectiveness of this portion of the exhibit is ruined when the viewer discovers - through the frequent spelling mistakes - how shoddily the painters assembled the banners.

Although there are no rules in art, it is obvious that the exhibit's negligent installation does not help contribute to greater understanding of the presentation's purpose. The carelessness only aids the viewer in seeing just how quickly the artists put together the exhibit. Though the exposition addresses an important topic in American society - AIDS prevention and cognizance - it approaches the subject in a trifling manner, consequently turning the viewer away from both the artwork and, perhaps, further understanding of the issue.

Through Dec. 3, 1999

Pierpont Commons

AIDS Awareness Exhibit

11-29-99