For art fans with a flair for the eclectic, a new exhibit at the College Art Gallery features prints from a variety of media.
On Jan. 18, the art gallery, located in Holman Hall, premiered National Printmaking '06. The exhibit took over 200 submissions from all over the country, from which a juror chose the top 50 pieces for display.
The juror, Lynne D. Allen, Rutgers art professor and director for Innovative Print and Paper, also picked several of the pieces to be considered for $3,000 in purchase awards and to be added into the College's personal art collection.
The pieces in the exhibit highlight a broad spectrum of artistic techniques.
"I find it very interesting how unique all of the pieces are while still being in the same exhibit," Christina Dellavalle, sophomore art major, said.
One of the most elaborate pieces, "Perils: the Grand Illusion" by S.L. Dickey, is a multidimensional depiction of the age-old magician act of sawing a woman in half. The use of color and the separation of the foreground from the background in the piece make it stand out.
Some pieces are strikingly unique, like "Soul Custody" by Judith Jaidinger, which is a print of a very intricate wood engraving. The piece "They Live in Me," by Carol Rosen, is a haunting photograph that featured the collage-like blending of two pictures together to create one piece.
The use of photographs in both these pieces creates a very interesting balance between the real and the imaginary.
"Identity Search" by Helga Thomson made interesting use of photography by featuring the X-ray image of a skull alongside other images of the human head. Several other artists used cutouts from different prints to give their pieces a rougher feel.
One of the Purchase Award winners, "Seeds" by Marie Sturken, also used this cutout technique by pasting printed text around a roughly sketched drawing in the center of the piece.
The other award winners added to the College's collection are "O.C.E." by Barbara Duval, the intriguing relief piece "Into the Night" by Margaret Kennard Johnson, "Atlas II - Maize" by Eduardo Fausti and, located in the center of the gallery, "The Making of King Kong" by Bruce McCombs, a humorous depiction from behind the scenes of the classic film.
From sketches to photography to engravings, the exhibit is filled with great prints.
"(The exhibit) showcases how diverse art can be," Dellavalle said.
National Printmaking '06 runs until Feb. 15. Gallery hours are: Monday-Friday, noon to 3 p.m. (and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays) and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays.
