As a safer alternative to international travel during the pandemic, a new exhibition in the Stark Galleries allows students to learn about diverse cultures through a broad range of artwork.
The J. Wayne Stark Galleries opened the “Armchair Travel: Exploring International Art and Artists from the Permanent Collection” exhibit on Thursday, Jan. 21 and will be available until Wednesday, March 10.
Director of the University Art Galleries Catherine Hastedt said there are two reasons why she decided to display this collection.
“We’re in the midst of COVID[-19], so I wanted people to be able to travel sort of, … even though they can’t visit those countries,” Hastedt said. “When we’ve done international art before, it’s always been appreciated by the visitors and the students because they say, ‘It was so nice to see artwork from my country.’”
This exhibition specifically focuses on the element of diversity in both the artists and media of art.
“Selected from Texas A&M University’s permanent collections, the art on display allows you to ‘travel’ to the Far East, Europe, Africa and all the way to Central and South America,” the University Art Galleries website reads. “Artists such as Sunol Alvar, Kathe Kollwitz, Joan Miro and many more will educate, entertain and inspire you.”
As a way to learn about these artists, Hastedt said there are labels with snippets and stories placed next to each of their pieces.
“It’s a chance for people to learn little facts that are interesting about the particular artists,” Hastedt said. “As you go through the exhibit, you’re learning about different artists’ viewpoints from their cultures [and] get little insights on how to appreciate art that you may not have understood before.”
In addition, University Art Galleries’ marketing and communications specialist Molly Painter said students have the opportunity to explore numerous types of artwork in-depth.
“This exhibition will feature international items from our permanent collection like porcelain and clay sculptures, dyed silk, etchings and lithographs,” Painter said. “Visitors can expect to see how cultural influences are reflected in an artist’s work. [They] will learn about various techniques and aesthetic styles from around the world.”
Hastedt said she hopes there will be something to attract everyone’s interest within this collection.
“I want the galleries to be welcoming to the broadest spectrum of students,” Hastedt said. “We hoped that students and other people that come to the galleries will really take the time to study the [art]. It’s always interesting to me to see how different people interpret what they see because you bring your own life experiences.”
Painter said she would like to see students take the opportunity to observe this exhibition.
“The art in the Texas A&M University collections truly belongs to all of us,” Painter said. “I would encourage anyone to visit and see the vast depth and breadth of what our collections have to offer.”