Beauty in a Collapsing Cathedral

As a student working in the space, I’m aware that my perspective may be different from most who enter our doors. I’ve become familiar with this gallery in ways I never thought possible. Each transition to a new exhibit brings a new feeling of excitement and energy that makes me curious to see the oncoming reaction.

The time has come for our 2009 Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition. My experience in witnessing this show come to life has left me overwhelmed with respect for these artists. It is required from those of us who work here that we do some research on our exhibitions, be informed, and have some sort of an opinion about our current displays. As my main responsibilities involve managing the official website, it’s easy for me to constantly review artist’s name and their images of their previous works. After all, I create new pages for these artists, I upload their pictures, add their statements, control the layouts, and then redo it all when the pictures need changed, or a name was misspelled, etc., etc.

The exhibit is finally up and running. I can’t even begin to express just how proud I am to be a part of something so big and so significant. Many of these artists have inspired me and challenged my approach towards my own artwork. Messages on certain issues and ideas settle in deeper in almost unnatural ways from so many artists exploring such personal themes and allowing themselves to be made vulnerable.

Perhaps one of my favorite artists in this exhibit is Ryan Estep. It was Estep’s artist statement that initially drew me in wanting to know more, before I had even seen any of his works. Estep now has two installations in the space, which I have grown to really appreciate. My fascination stems from realizing that his work exemplifies himself and what he sees as his personal struggles. These struggles may question his role as a man compared to society’s hold on masculinity. His artist statement is a brief poem, which clearly shows an almost overly sensitive side. Images of his previous works reflect acknowledgement of this kind of frailty and sensitive nature, while at the same time being shadowed by a kind of fear or outside force or power that works to control it. Estep’s work, from my understanding, is very much on how it is to be a man. Through Cathedral, Estep demonstrates using microphone stands and goalie nets to form a structure that stands on its own. Although this representation of the strength of man appears to be holding up, the reality is that the nets are gradually slipping and by the end of the exhibit it is expected that the work will have collapsed on itself. It astounds me that such a simplistic creation can have such a beautiful meaning.

I’m aware that art may not play an important role in everyone’s lives. But I feel that through art most people, if not all, find a connection or something that speaks to them or relates to their lives, which will affect them in some way. This ability to affect people, whether it’s positive or negative, is incredible. Art is an international language that speaks of beauty, and pain, and the realities of being human. This belief is especially evident through the works involved with this thesis exhibition.

This exhibit provides enough variety to speak to anyone who is willing to hear. At the same time its uniqueness is enough to spark the imagination of those who find the typical museum visit a bore. The reception will be Saturday, May 9th from 6 pm to 9 pm. It’s a great opportunity to talk with the artists and better understand their intentions while familiarizing oneself with the works in the space. So come, explore, and take part in this wonderful exhibition!

Rachel Ross, OSU Urban Arts Space Student Assistant