Morlan exhibit evokes memoires

by Sarah Allison
Staff Writer

Cherished memories of a bygone past can trigger emotions from anyone. The song behind a first kiss, the smell of chocolate chip cookies or a photo that will never be forgotten can have this effect.

"Enigmatic Rememberances: New Work by Petra Carroll and Rae Goodwin" focuses on memories.

“Enigmatic Remembrances: New Work by Petra Carroll and Rae Goodwin” has recently opened in Morlan Gallery. The opening reception was Feb. 17, during which the artists participated in a demonstration of performance art. Faculty, students and the public attended this event to see for themselves the theme of memories.

This opening coincided with the Lexington Gallery Hop, and this exhibit will last until March 23.

This exhibit is based on different visuals and mediums such as dance, photography, sculpture and drawing. The prevalent theme of the collection is puzzle pieces. Most of the art pieces feature them, and sometimes puzzle pieces are attached directly to the walls. The art may be evoke nostalgic memories as the viewer recalls childhood days of putting puzzles together or the excitement of learning something new.

“The premise of the exhibition,” said gallery director Andrea Fisher, “is examining the power our memories have to commandeer our perceptions and how elastic our memories really are. The resulting work takes on a variety of media … such as puzzle sculptures and two- and three-dimensional mixed media that are site-specific and transform the gallery space.”

Both artists responsible for this exhibit are Kentuckians. Goodwin is Lexington-based and works as a director for foundations at the University of Kentucky. Carroll is an assistant professor of art at the University of Pikeville.

The artists describe their work as rendering memory lane. As time goes on, memories that are created change with various experiences, and the perception of the events changes as well.

A large portion of the artists’ technique is providing the viewer with an atmosphere conducive to reflection, both of the viewer’s life and of the object in front of him or her. Each person may conjure up a different emotion or memory related to the object, be it an open book with falling puzzle pieces,

The photo above shows just one of many sculptures being highlighted for this exhibition in Transy's Morlan Gallery.

paper cutouts of bed frames or an elaborate puzzle framed on the wall. It could take meaning as a memory or a metaphor for a viewer.

The artists depict memories by placing the sculpture or dramatic interpretations in surreal ways. The balance between memories and the sense of place is felt in this exhibit. The mind has to dig deeper to find a memory from its past. It is an artistic interpretation of a time capsule, a show for the abstract mind and the nostalgic heart.

Venture into memories long forgotten by exploring the show. The startling moments where memories of a forgotten past come alive are found in enigmatic remembrances.

If you’re so inclined, also consider coming to the art talk held on March 8 in Morlan Gallery from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Each artist will talk about her work and the collaborative effort involved in the project.

Morlan exhibit goes ‘Beyond’

by Sarah Allison
Staff Writer

Prepare to be whisked away at the new exhibit in the Morlan Gallery. A place far away from exams, deadlines and Transylvania University, “Beyond Boundaries: New Work by Nana Lampton” lets you find that sense of place that college takes away.

This exhibit features Lampton, a Kentuckyartist widely known for her landscapes. These depict both scenic Kentucky spots and foreign locales, reflecting her travels. Lampton suggests that her paintings convey both a spirit of adventure and a sense of place.

Nana Lampton talks to Professor of Art History Dr. Nancy Wolsk at the opening reception of 'Beyond Boundaries: New Work by Nana Lampton." The exhibit is open until Dec. 6.

A Renaissance woman of her time, Lampton is also a published poet. Her books of poetry include “Moon with the Sun in Her Eye,” “Bloom of a Split Board” and “Snowy Owl Gathers in Her Trove.”

Many students appear to be impressed by the new exhibit.

“Nana Lampton’s artwork is beautiful, very inspiring and a great addition to the Morlan Gallery,” said first-year Hannah Greer.

Morlan Gallery Director Andrea Fisher also commented on Lampton and her artwork.

“What makes Nana unique,” Fisher said, “is her ability to run a large company and yet also maintain such a prolific amount of creative output. She strikes me as the type of person who is consistently maximizing her every moment.”

This Morlan Gallery exhibit will be on display until Dec. 6. The gallery will be premiering it to the public Fridayfrom 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the Lexington Gallery Hop.

Partain to play in unconventional space

by Alicia Reinersman
Staff Writer

Professor of Music Dr. Gregory Partain will be performing in the Morlan Gallery on Nov. 12 and 13

Transylvania University’s Morlan Gallery exhibits a wide, ever-changing array of art from around the globe. For the first time, the gallery will also be hosting the musical stylings of Dr. Gregory Partain. Entitled “Tempest in the Gallery,” Partain’s recital repertoire will consist of compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven and Frederic Chopin.

The first half of Partain’s performance will be dedicated to works by Beethoven, featuring the “Tempest” sonata. According to Partain, the “Tempest” is one of Beethoven’s most popular and famous pieces.

“(It’s) very soul-searching — sometimes violent and sometimes lyrical,” Partain said.

Studio 300 Festival brings digital art and music

by Sarah Allison
Staff Writer
Have you ever thought that a painting or a photo was talking to you? Now is your chance to actually talk back.

The two events going on this weekend are the Studio 300 Digital Art and Music Festival and the Morlan Gallery’s new exhibit, “Unveiling the Painted Curtain: 21st C Interactive Art.”

The Studio 300 Music Festival is the first of its kind to come to Kentucky and will be hosted at Transylvania. It will feature various manifestations of interactive art and music.

These two events have been brought to campus through the collaborative efforts of Transylvania faculty, including music technology professor Dr. Timothy Polashek, and Morlan Gallery director Andrea Fisher.

“It was just a crazy thing Andrea and I decided to do late last year,” said Polashek. “If you get out all of the equipment for (a digital arts performance), why not have other artists with you?”

Studio 300 drew the attention of a variety of domestic and international artists. While the festival will feature 28 works, these were selected from a total of 125 digital art submissions. The works that will appear in the show hail from at least eight nations.

In addition to visiting artists, the festival will also feature the work of Transylvania faculty, including Polashek and music professor Dr. Larry Barnes.
Another noteworthy aspect of the festival is that it will display the talents of both visual artists and musicians from the digital arena, and promises to feature a wide array of digital genres.

“I think this festival is a really good fit for Transylvania. … It’s just classic liberal arts,” said Polashek.

The festival will also involve a lecture series component, including talks from two composers and an artist on their works with the applications of digital media.

James Cadwell will discuss the interaction of Wii controllers on Friday, Sept. 16, at 10:30 a.m. in the faculty lounge. Lecturing artist Adam Kendall will then discuss and demonstrate his creation of “Toys’ Opera” in the Morlan Gallery at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, Momilani Ramstrum will present a lecture-demonstration called “The MIDI Glove, PD, and Real Time DSP” at 1 p.m., again in the faculty lounge.

The Morlan Gallery is hosting three interactive pieces from the festival. The opening reception of “Unveiling the Painted Curtain” will be 5-8 p.m. on Friday, and the exhibit will be open through Oct. 28.

Besides the festival activities there will also be a BYTE kiosk, an interactive station that will feature works by international artists and composers. The kiosk is located in the lower level of the Mitchell Fine Arts Center across from the Rafskeller and can be viewed at students’ convenience.

Not simply a transient feature of the festival, this kiosk can be used later to display student works.

In addition to several on-campus events, the festival will include a concert at Al’s Bar, a local venue just a few blocks from Transy.
For a complete schedule of the festival’s events, take a look at http://www.transy.edu/music/STUDIO_300/Schedule.html.

While “Unveiling the Painted Curtain” will be available until late October, there will only be one weekend to catch the festival’s live performances, and all members of the Transy community are encouraged to come out and enjoy it.

“I know people are going to just love it. It’s really fun stuff,” said Polashek.

Morlan Gallery Features Ink Brush Painting Exhibition

by Holly Brown
Staff

Morlan Gallery is currently showing the exhibition “Memories of the Past: Contemporary Chinese Ink Painting.” Having opened on Oct. 29, this exhibition will run through Nov. 30.

Artist Exhibits Dance Culture

by Rebecca Honaker
Staff

Jamaican artist Ebony G, Patterson casually spoke to an audience of students and professor’s about her work (Wednesday Jan. 21). Patterson discussed the powerful narrative behind the artwork in her collection in the ‘Mi di deh deh’ (I was there) exhibit currently displayed in the Morlan Gallery.

Morlan Gallery Opens Casket

by Brandi Giles
Contributing Writer

In keeping with the spooky spirit of the Halloween season, the Morlan Gallery’s new exhibition, “Death’s Showcase,” presents fantastic art with a distinctly morbid tone. In the show, nine Kentucky artists express their views on death through the creation of coffins with fascinating designs. The subjects range from the simple manifestation of the beautiful to honoring the dead to protesting drug abuse.