4/18/19
NORTH ADAMS, MA—Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Gallery 51 is proud to introduce this year’s senior art show, An Inquiry into _____, a culmination of senior art and arts management majors’ art works. The opening reception will take place on from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 25, 2019 at MCLA Gallery 51, 51 Main Street, and the exhibition will remain open through May 19. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.
The show will feature work from Bailey Brissett ’19, Amanda Romanelli ’19, Louis Torres ’19, and Cheyenne VanBramer ’19. The title of the exhibit reflects their individual inquiry or act of asking for information about mental illness, the subconscious realms, storytelling, and self-decomposition.
"The senior exhibit is often a first formal experience in a gallery,” said MCLA Visual Art Professor Greg Scheckler. “This year’s investigators tracked meditations on death and rebirth, real-life satires of changing states of mind, game-like comics of fate and misbehavior, and ‘fruitful’ comments on social norms. Look closely; the show includes subtle surprises."
Each artist has learned much of what they know through the internet. The image on the poster reflects that their generation is unique in that way; they seek information from the collective consciousness of the internet rather than from peers, parents, or teachers.
Brissett uses herself and mental illness as artistic muses to convey honesty and understanding, which can be seen in her work displayed in this show. “My artwork is where humor and honesty meet and live in a strange and colorful realm that celebrates individuality and art with a purpose,” she said.
Romanelli chose to use bananas as a metaphor for the deep meaning behind her work, which is not actually about bananas. “My art encompasses the ironic simplicity of what it means to be a human being by commenting on norms and behaviors that over time we have grown to accept,” she said.
Torres uses himself as the subject of his visual storytelling to allow the viewers to better understand him. “My work shows a lot of my personality and self in the form of characters, which, if you read, or look at it, you will know who it is. But it also forces the viewer to consider who I am; hopefully people not only get interested in the work but also would like to get to know me more as well.”
VanBramer explores the concept of the body decomposing, the inevitability of death, and the variety of interpretations among different artists, cultures, and eras. “My art is informed by the reality that life and death are interchangeable, but the beauty of life is always there. Through this series of art work, I am able to educate myself on the topics of life and death and confront my own emotions about death and dying.”
MCLA Gallery 51, run by the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts since 2005, exhibits work from a wide range of emerging to mid-career contemporary artists to the greater Berkshire community. The gallery hosts ten exhibitions each year and countless events and happenings. Staffed by mostly student workers, MCLA Gallery 51 provides students with hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations of a gallery. MCLA Gallery 51 is a project of MCLA's Berkshire Cultural Resource Center.
MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) provides opportunities, resources, and support to the Northern Berkshire Community. BCRC brings together the Northern Berkshire, MCLA and greater creative communities through its cultural programming, including MCLA Gallery 51, DownStreet Art, Berkshire Hills Internship Program (B-HIP), and MCLA Presents! The BCRC promotes, facilitates, and encourages a dialogue to foster a sustainable, creative community.
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) is the Commonwealth’s public liberal arts college and a campus of the Massachusetts state university system. MCLA promotes excellence in learning and teaching, innovative scholarship, intellectual creativity, public service, applied knowledge, and active and responsible citizenship. MCLA graduates are prepared to be practical problem solvers and engaged, resilient global citizens.
For more information, go to www.mcla.edu
