Alumni work looks at plight of animals

Recent projects by two UNC alumni are colliding for an animalistic exhibit.

Sharon Lee Hart’s “Sanctuary: Portraits of Rescued Farm Animals” and Ashley Oates’s “Burrow” compose an installment at the Hanes Art Center, intended to showcase the unrelenting spirit of animals.

The show is part of the Alumni Exhibition series, which aims to bring Master of Fine Arts graduates back to campus to display their artwork.

Hart’s work is inspired by her recently published photography book, which features black and white portraits of farm animals accompanied by information on their rescue and rehabilitation.

“Understanding each animal is unique,” Hart said. “It was important to me to show them as individuals.

“The main goal was to make strong portraits, raise awareness about the plight of farmed animals and encourage people to see farmed animals in a new light.”

Hart graduated from UNC’s masters of fine arts program in 2007 and was invited to be a visiting lecturer by her adviser, elin o’Hara slavick, an art professor at UNC.

The professor said Hart was a dedicated student and artist who always enjoyed taking risks.

“She came into the program doing straight documentary photography,” slavick said.

“No matter what format she used, everything she did was always well-resolved.”

The black and white portraits in “Sanctuary” were a return to Hart’s background in documentary photography, slavick said.

Oates, who obtained a Master of Fine Arts from the University in 2001, said she has never met Hart, but she admires her work and shares her love for animals.

Her project, entitled “Burrow,” uses a series of photograms — made by placing materials on light-sensitive paper — to convey ideas of personal protection and safety.

Oates said the project comes from her own experiences, her interest in animals and literary inspiration from authors such as Virginia Woolf.

“Even though I ended up making (the project) about animals, it is still a metaphor about human safety and protection,” Oates said.

She said she drew upon a variety of books important to her, such as Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own.”

“It’s essentially about how women need their own literary space to make work and be independent, and that’s important to me as an artist,” Oates said.

The work of both artists will be displayed in the art center’s John and June Allcott Gallery, where Oates said she frequently featured artwork as a graduate student.

“I’ve always loved that space,” Oates said.

“So it’s really nice to be able to come back to it in a way with my artwork.”

Contact the desk editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.