Annual art exhibit features finest in undergraduate work

Artists from the University community premiered 130 of their finest works in Meyerson Hall last night for the opening of the Undergraduate Arts Exhibition. The annual event provides a chance for undergraduate students to display their pieces to the public, according to Fine Arts Professor Frank Hyder. "In a way, it's a litmus test for them to measure the quality of their work against their peers'," Hyder said. "It's the first step into the professional world." Paintings, sculptures, photographs and computer-generated images were selected for the show from more than 250 submissions. Students in any undergraduate arts class could submit up to five pieces, exhibition coordinator Chad Andrews said. A panel of 12 judges -- comprised of faculty members from the Fine Arts Department and graduate students in the College of General Studies -- decided which works would be included in the display. College junior Gary Magretto, who had two charcoal drawings on display, noted that he felt awkward seeing others examining his work. "It's weird having everyone look at your [art], especially when you walk by it," he said. College junior Spring Moore displayed her piece called "Enlightened Space," which was a mixed media collection of wooden triangles attached with strings to a wall. "I was really fascinated with the shape of the triangle," she explained. Lane Miller, an artist from the Washington, D.C., area, traveled to the University for the exhibit. "It's a good ego-boost. It probably has more benefits for the artist than the viewing public," she said, emphasizing the importance of exposing a young artist's work. Andrews noted an increase in the number of undergraduate students enrolled in arts classes, as well as a general improvement in the quality of art submissions over the past few years. John Woolsey, who earned a master's degree from the Graduate School of Fine Arts in 1973, attended the exhibit opening. "I'm interested in what the students are doing," Woolsey said. "It's got a lot of variety and has a lot of very strong work." He added that he believed the quality of the work is much better than at other undergraduate exhibitions he has attended in the past. Woolsey said he was particularly impressed with some of the computer-generated images, which represent a relatively new form of art. One of the main purposes of the exposition is to give students a chance to see what the professional art world is like, GSFA Assistant Dean Lindsay Falk said. He stressed, though, the added importance of the University community taking this opportunity to embrace the arts. "I think the more undergraduates who are exposed to the fine arts, the better," he said. "Exposure to the fine arts is critically important." And Hyder agreed that yesterday's event stimulated creative discussion. "It's a visual experience and invites dialogue in the community," he said. "There's something for everyone."

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