Lamar Dodd School of Art Throws Lively Party to Open Four New Exhibits
The Lamar Dodd School of Art hosted a lively opening reception on Friday night to open four new exhibits: “do it UGA,” “Jiman Choi: Traces of Silence,” “Negritud in Latin American Art”and “Touch: Art and Interaction.”
It was especially raucous in the more open areas upstairs as art students and young families alike enjoyed the interactive nature of some of the shows. The “Touch” exhibit addressed the “physical desire to engage with the art object” and viewers were lined up all evening to interact with MFA student Aaron Obenza’s “Take a Cup.”
Down the hall, the “do it UGA” exhibit intrigued viewers as seven invited LDSOA students interpreted instruction-based projects based on a compendium of instructions by artists first compiled by art critic and curator Hans Ulrich Obrist. In his compendium, Obrist states that “do it is less concerned with copies, images or reproductions of artworks than with human interpretation.” Student Ry McCullough interpreted the instruction of artist Franz West; this involved a broomstick, gauze, and plaster. About West, McCollough stated that he chose him because “I’m a big fan of his work—his studio just seemed really lively.” Another instruction interpreted in the show included “start a rumor.”
The atmosphere within the closed off gallery in which Jiman Choi, Dodd Visiting Artist in Ceramics, has his work on display was dramatically different. A mood of calm, peace and reflection fills Gallery 307. On exhibit are 200 traditional Korean porcelain bowls which, at first glance, all seem alike. Each is displayed on its own shelf, and the display itself has a fascinating rhythm, further amplified by the reflections of the bowls on the floor. The works encourage silence and invite contemplation.
Downstairs, “Negritud in Latin American Art” features works that reflect the influence of African culture on the art of Latin America and the Caribbean. The exhibit includes work by members of the Atlanta art collective Contrepunto and several New York artists. On Friday night, this visually dynamic exhibit was enlivened by tunes spun by DJ Jenny G. Songs by musicians like Afro-Columbian Son Palanque filled the Lamar Dodd School of Art with a loud and joyful energy as the diverse crowd enjoyed works by artists like Pedro Fuertes and Juana Valdes.
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