By Marianne Luedeman; Photos by Marianne Luedeman
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Students in Dr. Nancy Bottom’s art survey course recently hosted an exhibition of elevated everyday items in the Gardner-Webb University Communications Studies Hall.
The show, which featured over 25 artworks, was titled “Lost and Found” and was held from Jan. 24, until Jan. 28. It featured entirely student-sourced artwork from various areas of the students’ everyday lives.
The goal of the show was for students “to look around at things that aren’t meant to be art that they could transform into art,” according to Bottoms.
For many of the participating students, the show was their first time showcasing their artwork in a professional setting.
“They got the whole experience: displaying it, making its label, titling and presenting it,” said Bottoms.
The show was also meant to instill in the students that anything can be art and that everyone can be an artist. “One of the points is for students to look at things a little differently than the way they are used to. That’s what art does after all,” she said.
Featured among the artwork were items like a ruler, Lego bricks, origami, and a bottle of hot sauce. Each piece featured an elevated presentation and a title meant to “inspire a different perspective,” said Bottoms.
For many of the artists, the selected items were inspired by their personal lives and stories. One piece, entitled “The Hand of an Artist,” featured a used chisel noted as “being an extension of the artist” by student Didac Vera Moreira.
Another piece, entitled “Culture in a Bottle” by artist Santiago, featured a hot sauce bottle that represented a culinary connection to his culture.
By hosting this exhibition, Bottoms wanted her students to start thinking artistically early into her class. “This was a great way to start the year,” she said.
The Department of Communications, Art and Design will continue to feature student artwork throughout the academic year in the Communications Studies Hall and through future art shows.
For questions about the “Lost and Found” exhibition, Bottoms can be reached at [email protected].
Photos from the exhibition can be viewed below in the photo archive (click to enlarge).
