On Thursday, Oct. 24, there was the monthly Art@Noon(ish) talk at the Wriston Art Galleries. The talk began at 12:15 p.m. and lasted for about 30 minutes. The speaker, Collections & Gallery Assistant Madison Pierson, described a handful of the pieces on display in the Leech Gallery, which were all centered around the First-Year Studies theme of water. There was a good crowd in attendance, including multiple professors and other Lawrence University staff.
I had never attended one of the Art@Noon(ish) talks prior to this, and I was pleasantly surprised. It fulfilled all of my “artsy-women-in-cool-outfits-with-really-intelligent-things-to-say” college dreams. I felt a little behind the rest of the group, only because many of them were professors who were engaging with the art with their First-Year Studies curriculum in mind. Nonetheless, I enjoyed getting to be a part of it and witnessing these discussions.
In addition to the artistic and academic aesthetic, I found the talk itself very useful in understanding the exhibit. The speaker went through a good amount of the pieces, describing them and then providing a little bit of analysis on what’s going on in them and/or how they relate to the surrounding works. It definitely brought me back to my limited, but exciting, experience in art history classes.
Each work in the “First-Year Studies: Water” exhibit is, unsurprisingly, about water. However, the works themselves differ in how they represent water and what they emphasize. Some pieces, for example, include subjects other than water, such as cityscapes or birds. The pieces also differ in their medium; some are paintings, others are etchings and at least one is a sculpture. All of them are in conversation with each other, especially those sharing the same wall.
One piece that really sticks out is the first one you see when you walk into the Leech Gallery. It is a large, square painting that has vibrant colors and an abstract look. I should say now that I think it’s a painting, but I suppose it’s possible that it’s actually something else — don’t quote me on its specific medium! I’m an English major!
Anyway, as the speaker noted, the longer you look at it, the more you make sense of it. The painting’s subject (see my note above) is a mountain reflecting in the water — a lake of some sort, or a pond. There is also a starry night sky and a river (or maybe two rivers?). The piece is full of contrasting colors; there are reds, blues, greens and purples. Taken together, these create a very grounding and yet energetic feel.
This piece is only one of many thought-provoking and nuanced works; there are many more, and there are also two other galleries with other exhibits. Whether you’re currently taking the First-Year Studies course or you’re an avid lover of art and/or water, I bet you’ll find some value from looking at this exhibit. Plus, the galleries are free to students! They are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Happy viewing!