Friday saw the opening of the Student Artery’s first exhibit of the semester, “REFRESH.”
A showcase of students’ art, the range of work filled a space in a “lighter, brighter and more versatile” way than previous exhibits, said featured artist Morgan Muhs.
Muhs’s work stands out upon walking through the door. It features several wall-canvases alongside beautifully printed light screen sculptures — tubes of printed fabric highlighted by backlights — stretching from floor to ceiling.
One of her particularly interesting pieces features a woman at the center of an “excess of possessions.”
“It’s about materialism,” Muhs said. She said that we become oblivious to the things we have.
Muhs juxtaposes bottles of Jack Daniels beside skulls and ravens, adding a darker side to the piece and creating an awareness of woman’s mortality. Eventually these objects will also become lifeless, redundant and meaningless, she said.
Another impressive piece was that of art and anthropology major Josephine McCrann.
McCrann installed a flock of giant, handcrafted peace cranes in the Artery. A symbol of longevity, the cranes explore ideas of time.
An origami staple, the birds begin near the ceiling as unfolded squares of glassline tracing paper, and become more finished as they flock toward the floor.
“It’s a reflection of the progression of time and how it moves from nothing to becoming documented,” McCrann said.
Anna Buckner’s strikingly colorful and vibrant work served as a contrast to Muhs’ on the opposite wall. Her pieces are more abstract — her largest painting looks somewhat like a Persian rug.
It’s a reflection of “living in boxes,” she said, with each pattern encompassed within the next, trapped by shape and color.
The Artery also featured work by UNC student Greg Halloran. Halloran’s work is greatly influenced by Pablo Picasso, as seen in his interesting self-portrait.
It reflects particular features such as his elegant eyes, alongside rearranged features and the strange addition of a belly button on his cheek.
Among the work of UNC student artists was that of an East Carolina University student, Aaron Ambroso.
The work of these skilled artists is eye-catching and wonderfully positioned, making it easy and pleasurable to meander through their meditative displays. Set in the cozy yet spacious main room of the Artery, this exhibition is well worth sparing a little time in your day for.
Four out of five stars. See “REFRESH” at the Student Artery at 136 E. Rosemary Street.
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