“Video, Sculpture, Conceptual, Print, Installation, Collage, Painting, Assemblage, Digital, Drawing, Photography, Ceramics, Performance.” There you have it: the 13 words printed on every information card at the Faculty Triennial in the Victoria Myhren Gallery.
However, what cannot be expressed simply through an information card are the faces and hands behind the exceptionally diverse pieces of artwork currently being displayed at the show. A simple tutorial won’t capture the long, grueling process of delivering such work to a larger audience in a way that not only inspires people but exemplifies the artwork itself.
The Faculty Triennial is so much more than the terms that define it. It is the heart and soul of the entire university. The exhibit brings together culturally diverse faculty members, all of whom have recognition from galleries across the globe.
Laleh Mehran, an Emergent Digital Practices professor, has had work shown in the United Arab Emirates, the European Media Arts Festival in Germany, the Andy Warhol Museum and the Denver Art Museum—just to name a select few. Featured at the exhibit is her HD video called “Dominant Policy,” in which international currencies are blended together in hypnotic reflections and patterns that take guests on a visual trip.
Mehran conceptualizes worldly topics, such as religion and war, and expresses them through mediums like installation art and HD video. Mehran is essentially creating an environment that allows people to talk about issues they would usually shy away from.
“Album” is an installation piece on display by Art Foundations Lecturer Chinn Wang. For those unfamiliar with installation art, it is a genre that is three-dimensional and used to manipulate the space around it. “Album” is a compilation of Wang’s personal photos that have been manipulated and disproportioned beyond recognition. The center panel is composed of black and white cut out pieces, taken from the two neighboring panels beside it. “Album” as a whole represents the distorted image that comes to mind when one revisits a memory.
Wang assimilates a variety of art forms into her classes such as sculpture, printmaking and installation, and she is a celebrated artist throughout the Denver art community.
Photography professor Roddy MacInnes’s photography exhibit, “Should I Smile?” was inspired by students and class discussions which disassemble his previous misconceptions of photography. The project features three side-by-side portraits of each student and exposes the raw reaction one has when faced with an the invasive presence of a camera.
“Shades of Brown = Trigger Happy, 2015” is an acrylic painting by Associate Professor Alfredo Ortiz of a police officer pointing a gun at a black man holding his hands up. Painted on wood panel, Ortiz’s work often layers and combines different material while also tying in religious, social and political messages.
The exhibit samples the work of 21 Art and Art History faculty members. A 3D printed statue, an illustration book and historical mining artifacts are just a taste of what else can be expected at this exhibit. Every piece evokes an unknown emotion that is inexpressible and unattainable.
Whether it’s just a five minute run through between classes or a half hour at the end of your day, any amount of time at this exhibit is an eye-opening experience.
