Just as the collection of artists come together, the various shapes and sizes of collages are presented as this week’s theme in the student art galleries at Cal State Long Beach.
In the Gatov Gallery, the space — normally divided in half — is opened up to display the larger-scaled collage pieces created by professors. Entitled “Scales Triangle Lines Shapes Solids” by artists Julia Haft-Candell and Chris Miller, the painting and sculpture exhibition is a busy and exciting display of the play on color and details.
Both sculptures and collages are full of activity that almost forces the viewer’s eyes to start at any point and follow a path into more details, colors and textures.
The four collages displayed on the walls are several feet long. From up close, viewers can pick out torn strips of papers in various shapes and paint that pulls the piece together. A prominent theme of warm colors centers the pieces as it dissipates to cooler or gray backgrounds.
“The [paintings portray an] idea of chaos with some kind of order. There is still balance; it’s crazy and insane but very beautiful,” said Catherine Yi, fifth year illustration major.
The sculptures are equally impressive in their structures’ mass and balance. The tiny details, seen closely, enhance the overall experience.
“I think they’re all kind of delicate [and] they’re all really detailed,” said Jessica Sanchez, fourth year studio art major.
Yi also viewed the sculptures as having an “engineering-feel” as each stood differently on its own base or legs.
Although artists leave the art pieces open to interpretation, Sanchez was disappointed by the lack of titles to each piece.
“I want to know what the artist thinks that they are.” Sanchez said.
On the other hand, artist Claudia McCain introduced another idea of viewer interpretation on display in the Merlino Gallery. She portrays her own art pieces “Untitled,” as limbs, tree structures or body parts. On the other hand, she wants viewers to experience whatever idea they find to their liking.
“Basically, these particular ones [deal] with looking at nature and then putting back together in a very different way with a limited pallet of black white and gray,” McCain said.
McCain, being one of 12 artists featured in the gallery, plays with the idea of experimentation of different materials such as magazines, canvas, photography and paint. Viewers can also look forward to seeing a variety of materials from whiteout and tape to yarn and pom-poms.
The theme of the Merlino Gallery suggests an exploration with collage media. McCain described the gallery as, “A gathering of artists exploring this media as a means to get to something or as the work itself. [And the] questioning of material.”
Though breaking from the premise of collages, Janel Laza, BFA metals, displays a different, yet still elegant and clean-cut exhibition called “Emergence” in the Dutzi Gallery.
The exhibition is unique in its display of two unlikely items merged as one. The majority of the pieces include a silver metal collection called “21st Century Diamonds” and copper sculptures with moss embedded in its state. Though very simple, the reaction of its dubious counterparts has viewers coming closer for inspection.
The largest and functioning piece is entitled “Introspection.” Its copper shell encases ice as long and brass chains hang over a potted plant. Surprisingly, the brass chains help guide the water down to the plant, watering it with a few drips every few seconds.
In a description near the entrance, Laza describes her exhibition as a demonstration of meaningful importance.
“In my work, I try to display the plants as one would display a gem or precious stones because to me they are just as valuable,” she said.
The weekly student art galleries run Monday through Thursday from noon to 5 p.m.
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