Art gallery offering gets up close and personal

If you've ever ridden on a public transportation system, you might be familiar with the awkward intimacy felt between strangers.

This concept was part of the inspiration for Shannon Brinkley's art exhibit, "Blush," now on display in the gallery of the Student Union.

Brinkley, a student at The Art Institute of Chicago who once attended the N.C. School of the Arts, said the title of the 18-painting exhibit has two meanings. One represents blushing from the embarrassment people feel in uncomfortable situations, and the second references the physical act of blushing as it takes place on human skin.

Several of the paintings came from Brinkley's close observations of skin. "The concept for the paintings came from riding on the CTA here in Chicago, and really noticing how people choose not to interact with each other in urban situations," Brinkley said.

"The paintings are really subtle, and it really invites people to be investigative and take a closer look at the world."

Brinkley said she thinks the show is a good step for where she wants her artwork to go, but her artistic growth is an ongoing process.

"People should take what they learn from the paintings and spread it to other parts of their lives, not just examine it as a complex idea in an art gallery," Brinkley said.

Exhibits in the Union gallery are some of the many activities sponsored by the Carolina Union Activities Board.

The gallery has featured artwork from students and local artists like Dan-O. Last year, it had an exhibit dedicated to female musicians during Women's Week.

"Blush" is the second of three shows that will be featured in the gallery in the coming months.

"The Carolina Union Activities Board exists to provide cultural and educational programs for the campus, and the visual arts are a big part of that," said Claire Anderson, CUAB president.

"The gallery is a great space to witness others' creative expressions, and Carolina's campus is a perfect spot to be involved in something like this."

The gallery committee of CUAB of has a number of activities planned to involve students this year. Next week it is co-sponsoring a "Racial Issues" exhibit for Race Relations Week that will feature blown-up articles from The Daily Tar Heel dealing with race relations in Chapel Hill.

"We really want to expand our work to things like political and historical statements, not just artistic statements," said Maggie Kao, chairwoman of the committee. "We're looking to revamp our showcases to incorporate more things like textiles and sculptures, not just paintings.

"It's projects like this that can really include students and get them involved and educated about different types of art. The visual arts are so important and a big part of the beautification of our campus."

Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.