New Exhibit Gives Students Chance to Showcase Art
News article from CSUSM NewsCenter
Recent visual arts graduate Kimberly Lopez (left) and senior Sarah Bricke are co-curators of a student art exhibit on campus called Juncture. Photo by Alan Brown
President Ellen Neufeldt (left) checked out the opening of the Juncture exhibit on Sept. 26. She's pictured with co-curators Sarah Bricke and Kimberly Lopez, and Judit Hersko (right), chair of the Art, Media and Design department.
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During her time at Cal State San Marcos, Kimberly Lopez was fortunate enough to have multiple chances to display her art in a public setting. The most prominent example is right in the center of campus: the restoration of the White Rose Memorial that she worked on with fellow student Sarah Bricke.
Lopez came to realize, though, that most CSUSM art students lack the opportunities that she had. So, together with Bricke, she set out to do something about it.
The fruit of their collaboration can now be seen in the lobby of the Arts Building. Lopez, who graduated last spring with a degree in visual and performing arts, and Bricke, a senior art, media and design major, are co-curators of a new student art exhibit called Juncture: Aesthetic Forms and Performance. The exhibit opened on Sept. 23 and can be viewed for free during regular campus hours through Oct. 18.
“I felt it was necessary to give back to my university peers by organizing a visual art exhibition,” Lopez said. “The purpose is highlighting work from current students and alumni in the program and connecting both the artists and audiences to a variety of art mediums.”
Lopez and Bricke announced an open call for artwork in May, with a submission deadline of August. While the students worked on their pieces over the summer, the two curators were busy preparing the gallery space. With the mentorship of Art, Media and Design department chair Judit Hersko and the assistance of School of Arts shop technician Judy Ryan, technical director Chad Huggins and a few volunteers, Lopez and Bricke built six moveable walls that make up the fixtures to display the art.
Students look at the pieces that will be on display in the lobby of the Arts Building through Oct. 18. Photo by Alan Brown
Then they culled the 30 submissions they received into a more manageable number, focusing on artists who demonstrated a strong combination of material proficiency and multilayered meaning. The pieces on display run the gamut, including painting, printmaking, photography, illustration and sculpture.
“We preferred work that was new, created outside of class assignments, or explored ideas outside the norm, showing us that these artists were in the process of experimenting or in the midst of a personal breakthrough with their artwork,” Lopez said.
Asked what the exhibit’s title signifies, Bricke said: “Juncture is the intersection at which these works meet. We deliberately designed an exhibition that features diverse media. We also sought work that represents the juncture of the diverse communities that constitute CSUSM. We wanted to showcase diversity on campus and provide greater visibility for those who have been underrepresented in the arts: women and people of color.”
Lopez hopes that the impact of the exhibit will go beyond her original objective to give art students a platform to showcase their work outside of class.
“One of my personal goals for Juncture is to expand opportunities for CSUSM artists but also to create a network for all of us to eventually pursue other collaborative, creative endeavors,” she said. “The North County region is very diverse, and we hope to add to the local culture by being involved with the university and giving back to the community.”
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During her time at Cal State San Marcos, Kimberly Lopez was fortunate enough to have multiple chances to display her art in a public setting. The most prominent example is right in the center of campus: the restoration of the White Rose Memorial that she worked on with fellow student Sarah Bricke.
Lopez came to realize, though, that most CSUSM art students lack the opportunities that she had. So, together with Bricke, she set out to do something about it.
The fruit of their collaboration can now be seen in the lobby of the Arts Building. Lopez, who graduated last spring with a degree in visual and performing arts, and Bricke, a senior art, media and design major, are co-curators of a new student art exhibit called Juncture: Aesthetic Forms and Performance. The exhibit opened on Sept. 23 and can be viewed for free during regular campus hours through Oct. 18.
“I felt it was necessary to give back to my university peers by organizing a visual art exhibition,” Lopez said. “The purpose is highlighting work from current students and alumni in the program and connecting both the artists and audiences to a variety of art mediums.”
Lopez and Bricke announced an open call for artwork in May, with a submission deadline of August. While the students worked on their pieces over the summer, the two curators were busy preparing the gallery space. With the mentorship of Art, Media and Design department chair Judit Hersko and the assistance of School of Arts shop technician Judy Ryan, technical director Chad Huggins and a few volunteers, Lopez and Bricke built six moveable walls that make up the fixtures to display the art.
Students look at the pieces that will be on display in the lobby of the Arts Building through Oct. 18. Photo by Alan Brown
Then they culled the 30 submissions they received into a more manageable number, focusing on artists who demonstrated a strong combination of material proficiency and multilayered meaning. The pieces on display run the gamut, including painting, printmaking, photography, illustration and sculpture.
“We preferred work that was new, created outside of class assignments, or explored ideas outside the norm, showing us that these artists were in the process of experimenting or in the midst of a personal breakthrough with their artwork,” Lopez said.
Asked what the exhibit’s title signifies, Bricke said: “Juncture is the intersection at which these works meet. We deliberately designed an exhibition that features diverse media. We also sought work that represents the juncture of the diverse communities that constitute CSUSM. We wanted to showcase diversity on campus and provide greater visibility for those who have been underrepresented in the arts: women and people of color.”
Lopez hopes that the impact of the exhibit will go beyond her original objective to give art students a platform to showcase their work outside of class.
“One of my personal goals for Juncture is to expand opportunities for CSUSM artists but also to create a network for all of us to eventually pursue other collaborative, creative endeavors,” she said. “The North County region is very diverse, and we hope to add to the local culture by being involved with the university and giving back to the community.”
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