ISU Bengal

Issue date: 4/11/07 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Alastair Nee "Remembrance of the Place I am From," by Aaron G. Spencer.

There are few places in this world where you can walk in and see a ghost, naked person, and a giant insect all in the same room. No, this isn't some Hollywood film or a Halloween party; this is the Annual Undergraduate Art Exhibition and Scholarship Competition, being showcased in the John B. Davis Gallery on the bottom floor of the Fine Arts building.

What you'll find there is a wide variety of art forms portraying an even larger variety of themes. The paintings and drawings employ different techniques: charcoal, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, and even mixed media. But that's not it; also on display are sculptures and other 3D objects, using mediums such as fabricated steel and silver. They range in size quite a bit as well, from small jewelry to a giant insect that would rival a Great Dane in size.

The art is definitely worth the visit. As in other art exhibits that have been shown throughout the semesters and years at ISU, one can see a unique and magnificent display of local talent, a talent that doesn't get the same credit as perhaps sports or other club events do. Fortunately, these art pieces won't go without their rewards; as stated earlier, these works are up for scholarship.

But how do you judge art? Even more, how do you select the art to be judged in the first place? Surely, it's not an easy task. Keiko Stumbo, an ISU alum and juror of the competition, released this statement about the selection process.

"There are three things that I looked for in the process of selection.

The first one is knowledge about media. The more confident and familiar an artist seemed to be with the medium, the more effective the end result was. In short, I wanted to see good quality of medium maneuvering.

The second criterion is formal aspect of artwork, including color, composition, texture, craftsmanship, and so on, among which I especially appreciate artwork that pushes composition and form. In another word, I was interested in works that came from challenging process and did not settle for an easy solution.

The last, but not the least, is energy that I get from a work. At this point, I have to admit selecting work is basically a subjective task. What I mean by energy is the quality that draws me, makes me want to stop and get a closer look and think, and finally, the moves me emotionally. Whether the energy comes from perseverance of craftsmanship or desire to express a certain mood or attempt to visualize what one senses, I think one has to go beyond ordinary self, at least attempt to do so in order to create that energy."

Even with this criterion, that task surely has been a difficult one. With so many illuminating pieces, the selection process could have easily extended well beyond the current collection. And not only is overall quality of the art a difficult aspect to judge, but how well the themes are portrayed within each piece. How do you compare a humorous, metal knick-knack of a man with an enormous moustache to a nearly life-sized, painted portrayal of a young girl experiencing the wonders of yellow roses?

One thing that isn't difficult is the joy that comes from viewing all this art created by ISU's talented underclassmen. Make sure you take the time this week to stop by the Fine Arts building and experience the art for yourself; you'll be surprised at the sense of pride you'll feel knowing that your fellow classmates have produced such wonderful art.

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