Fine art exhibit brings student work to public space

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: MARLON FRANCIS
Fine art students Laura Klinard (foreground) and Janet Griffen (background) prepare to show their work in this year's Fine Art Third Year Exhibitions.

Fanshawe College’s fine art program presents its annual Fine Art Third Year Exhibitions running from Jan. 22 to March 14.

The showcase is being held at the Satellite Project Space at 121 Dundas St. and is open to the public Wednesday to Friday 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibition showcases the artwork of students in their third year of the program and prepares them for their professional ambitions following graduation.

Third year students are given a realistic look at the expectations and responsibilities of a professional artist and provided a supportive environment in which to effectively absorb the experience.

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“This has been such a development in terms of identifying what an artist has to do and then bringing that right into the program. Students have to do their studio work, but they also have to put themselves out in the world. They have to do everything,” said Gary Spearin, program coordinator. “So with this experience they understand that when they go out into the world they’ll know how to install their work, how to write a statement, how to talk to a curator and how to talk to the public. We introduce the experience in second year and we build on it. Now they can step out of this program, not just having really intense making but also really intense vocabulary for presenting and exhibiting their work in different public and professional spaces.”

The show runs for seven consecutive weeks, with a format that showcases the work of three students per weekly exhibit. The heart and soul of these exhibits can be observed in the careful offerings of each artist, but the unseen, the preparation to showcase, is an effort worth acknowledging.

“Each exhibition runs for a week. The students take their work down to the gallery on Sunday and then they start installing it on Monday and Tuesday. These students, all working on similar subject matter for that specific weekly show, take a couple of days to install it, change it up and light it before opening to the public from Wednesday to Saturday, usually running from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” said Spearin.

Spearin encourages students to come and take part in the event, not just in a show of support, but with the open mind that what awaits could evoke personal response.

“Students will be surprised, inspired, because it’s their culture, their age group and their relationship to the world that visual art represents,” said Spearin.

As far as what may be revealed is dependent upon the observer.

“It could be something visual that you really like, or an important social subject, it depends. It depends on who you are. The artist needs the audience to finish their work and everyone finishes a bit differently, which is what’s inspiring,” said Spearin.

Third year fine art student, Janet Griffen, spoke to Interrobang while preparing to showcase her work alongside her fellow artisans next week. She said she is looking forward to the experience.

“It’s been really fun to come together and collaborate geometrically and organically with other artists. It’s exciting to collaborate with two other abstract artists that work in a completely different way than myself,” said Griffen.

All works exhibited are available for sale, although at the core of the event is the celebration of the creative expressions of these seasoned fine art students.