Students get “Stumped” at Blackbridge Hall Gallery
Those who have not been by Blackbridge Hall Gallery lately may be missing out. STUMPED: by Sally Heller is now on display. Senior Art Major Megan McCurley brought Heller to Georgia College and serves as curator for the exhibit as part of her senior project. McCurley chose Heller after meeting her in summer of 2005.
Heller, a New Orleans native, earned her bachelor of science degree in painting from the University of Wisconsin. She later went on to pursue a master of fine arts in painting at the Virginia Commonwealth University before returning to New Orleans.
In her exhibit at the Blackbridge Hall Gallery, Heller chose to create a forest within the museum. Everything is crafted out of man-made materials; pipe cleaners, plastic wrap, and clothespins are among the items that take the frame of various organic shapes. A flowerbed made of wire hangers and buttons is displayed beside a wall-to-wall spider web. In the main room, a massive tree stands tall and covers much of the available space. Impossible to ignore, the project provokes the audience to consider the irony of organic structures composed of synthetic materials.
One visitor to the gallery, Senior Art History Major Katie Harmon, had a chance to work with the artist and had an interesting interpretation of her own. After viewing the jumbled representation of nature and knowing that the artist resides in New Orleans, Harmon felt that maybe Heller was portraying Hurricane Katrina aftermath. When Harmon asked if this was true, Heller denied that the work has anything to do with Hurricane Katrina. Still, Harmon felt that it could have been “subconscious art and maybe she didn’t realize it.” Even if it wasn’t Hurricane Katrina, Harmon viewed the art as if “something big happened and this is what was left.”
This exhibit is full of life and energy that can only be understood once seen. Freshman business major Amber Ivie observed the display and stated, “I like all of the bright colors. It made me think of when I was a child…it’s like being in a daydream.”
Heller’s full-scale installation can be seen Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. until Sept. 15. For information and questions, please contact the Art Department at (478) 445-4572. For your own interpretation and view of the exhibit, take a walk with an open mind to the Blackbridge Hall Gallery to get a little STUMPED.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Sep 8 2006. Filed under Features.
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