An exhibition of the senior art students' work is traditionally the final show at the Denison University Museum. And so it is this year when "departures" will open with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday (April 14) in the Burke Hall Galleries. The exhibition, which is open daily from 1 to 4 p.m., will continue until May 9.

"departures" refers to the number of changes occurring for the students and for the Denison art department. As Ron Abram, chair of the art department noted, first and foremost, "departures" indicates the exciting changes about to occur for the students as they graduate from Denison and move into a new phase of life. It also represents the students' own search for meaning and content in their art work and research throughout their senior year. This experimentation often results in the students breaking away from tradition, expanding their own creative possibilities, and producing new and exciting outcomes.

There are eight studio art students, three of whom are seeking bachelor of fine arts degrees, contributing to the show. They are: Megan Cassell, Tay Cha (BFA), Catherine Eastman, Matthew Messmer (BFA), Ki Ogilvie, Michelle Oldford, Maureen Stemen, and Amy Wild (BFA). Messmer and Wild will be exhibiting their work in rotation in one of the Museum display areas, while Cha's work will be on view in Doane Library. The other students' works will be in the Museum for the entire duration of the exhibition.

The students are contributing to the show with art in many different media and deriving from a wide variety of concepts. Cassell's oil paintings reflect memories of family and highlight decorative elements, while Cha's graphics explore issues of gender and identity. Also approaching ideas of identity is Oldford, whose work focuses upon how scientific data creates personal individuality by exploring representation at the molecular level. Stemen looks at the impact that pop culture has on a person's identity in a collection of short comics that are published as an autobiographic graphic novel. In a series of visual narrative prints Wild contrasts the mundane with the magical, while Eastman's ceramic dinnerware and table settings refer to oceanographic forms. Using alternative photographic processes and digital photos, Ogilvie portrays imagery of isolation and decay, and finally, Messmer utilizes photographs and prints to reveal contemporary life experiences in Japan.

In another departure this year, the art history students are displaying their senior projects on a kiosk in the Museum. The participants include: Katherine Apfelbach, Caitlin Barry, Carolyn Hicks, Lauren Howie, Abigail Miller, Alison Nitzsche, Lisa Rhoden, Laura Richardson, Sarah Ropeik, and Randi Stead. The texts and imagery presented reflect each student's culminating research, and their topics address a variety of art historical theories, problems, and themes. These include such wide-ranging topics as imagery of Coca-Cola® girl in advertising, the function and meaning of Egyptian obelisks in relation to the Washington monument, John Pierpont Morgan and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Frank Warren's conceptual art project called Post Secret, and Kehinde Wiley and art as a discourse on power and authority. An exhibition also is being mounted at The Works in Newark.

Additionally, significant alterations are underway for the art department with the departure from Cleveland Annex and the renovation of Cleveland Hall, which begins this spring. During the construction, studio art and art history classes will be housed in satellite facilities across the Denison campus, physically representing the integrative nature of the department's offerings. The two programs will be together in one building for the first time when the Cleveland Hall project is complete.

The hall alcove display area will feature a mini-exhibition on the history and future renovation of Cleveland Hall organized by Cara Lovati '09, Kelly Maryanski '10, and Stephanie Rozman '08. The building will close this spring for renovation and expansion, a process that will take about 18 months.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville -- Opening reception for final exhibition of the 06/07 season at the Denison Museum, Studio Art Majors show "departures"; 6 to 8 p.m., Saturday (April 14), Burke Hall Museum (240 W. Broadway). Free and open to the public. Museum open daily 1 to 4 p.m. through May 9. Call 740-587-6255 to confirm information.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575