By Alicia Ward
Hidden on the sixth floor of the Arts Parkade are fully functioning arts spaces and classrooms, computer labs and lounging areas. Not many students are aware of the existence of this floor, and fewer still make the journey up. Out of this obscurity, a new University of Calgary art exhibition has been born.
“We’re putting on a student-oriented art show,” says Chelsey Palmer, an organizer and aspiring artist with pieces in the exhibition. “It gives an opportunity for students who are majoring in art — or not — to have a professional show and show their work.”
Arts students do currently have the opporunity to present art, but it’s only a small, specialized group. Until now, most students didn’t get the chance to submit their work to an adjudicated show at the university.
“There is an end-of-the-year art show for people who are doing studio concentration work and graduating at the university,” says Palmer. “However, that just limits it to just the people in studio concentration. For people who aren’t necessarily majoring in a certain area or aren’t majoring in art in general, but are still taking a lot of art courses — this just gives them an opportunity as well.”
All of the artists exhibiting work in PUSH are also organizing the show to gain practical skills for the real world.
“We wanted to give students the opportunity to know what it would be like to apply for shows the way they would need to after finishing school,” says Tracy Wormsbecker, another organizer and artist.
The process encourages artists to create and submit a proposal, plan catering and have their work adjudicated. Two faculty members, Bill Lang and Peter Deacon, are on the jury for this year’s exhibition. The adjudication process will be stringent and similar to what can be expected in the art world once the students graduate. The legitimate, real world practices and quality of the exhibit are a key concern for the PUSH committee, as is raising awareness about the art department.
“[PUSH] lets everybody else know about the art department and what we’re doing because not a lot of students know that there is a fine arts department,” says Wormsbecker.
Since the inception of the new Arts Faculty behemoth, the amalgamated faculties, including Fine Arts, seem more prone than ever to be lost in the shuffle. Wormsbecker and the PUSH committee is determined to spread the word about the stunning works that come from the Fine Arts, even if it is just by educating others on where the art students are located.
The show will be held in three differentgallery spaces. If that sounds confusing, fear not — a map will be provided. The opening reception will also have guided tours and the artists will even be present to answer questions that any curious minds might have.
“Any kind of exposure to art is learning experience,” says Wormsbecker.
With winter semester coming to an end, why not broaden the mind and indulge in some culture? The PUSH committee is expecting a big turn out for the exciting pieces — hopefully their (and your) expectations are met.