ALUMNI. RE-ENGAGED. - Columbus College of Art and Design

EXHIbITIONS
ART.
UNCONTAINED.
bUREAU fOR OPEN CULTURE MARkS
SHIfT IN EXHIbITION PROGRAMMING
what is an exhibition? more pointedly, what
happens when art can not be contained—
physically or conceptually—within the walls of
a traditional gallery space?
Bureau for open Culture at Columbus College
of art & design responds to these questions.
the bureau is an exhibition-making philosophy.
It supports curatorial and artistic practices
that not only use the gallery as a site for
connecting with a viewer but rely on public
spaces and social contexts as the primary
means of engagement.
according to director of exhibitions James
Voorhies, the programming embraces
experimental and open approaches to
presenting work that is conceptually based,
emphasizing process over conclusion, and
may not always fit within traditional exhibition
platforms. at times this model may take the
form of off-site interventions, workshops,
screenings, informal talks, short-term
residencies, and online projects housed at
www.bureauforopenculture.org.
this past autumn Dewey Decimal Days put
some of these ideas into action. a five-day
series of free events, including informal talks
06
WINTER 2009
among librarians, Dewey Decimal Days also
included a web-satellite chat between an artist
and founding members of a printing press in
the netherlands; screenings of films selected
by librarians; video-recorded responses
to “why I love libraries”; and a conference
call between an artist and a curator of artist
books in Brooklyn. the project was a forum
for considering the effect libraries have on our
daily lives. documentation of these events is
available on the bureau’s website, as well as in
web-based components produced especially
for incorporating an online experience.
on one hand, the website is a gateway to
practical information—descriptions of past,
present, and future exhibitions; the mission;
news and publications; and links to other
organizations. on the other, it is a valuable
means for documenting projects, presenting
original video and sound works, uploading
interviews, offering free downloads of
publications, and more. the site becomes a
rich vehicle for ongoing engagements with
exhibitions.
the current exhibition, To Whom Do You
Beautifully Belong?, is a yearlong look at the
transformation of a barren plot of land into
a community garden. artists matthew flegle
and tongsue ly are spearheading the project.
It examines how urban space, collaboration,
and organic gardening coalesce to become
catalysts for community pride. one mile
from CCad’s campus, the plot of land can
be experienced in person, and is open to
everyone to participate. online visitors at any
distance can monitor it on the bureau’s site
and a link to a blog. the exhibition closes april
30, 2009.
not all exhibitions occur exclusively outside
the college’s Canzani Center gallery. In
february 2008, Exact Imagination was
presented inside and outside the institution’s
walls. the exhibition investigated various
factors that influence how viewers experience
art and included work—in the gallery—by
contemporary artists andrea fraser, louise
lawler, and Christian Jankowski, among
others. another participant, the portlandbased
collective red76, organized Franklin’s
VDC Copy Center in an empty downtown
storefront space. for two months during the
course of the exhibition, red76 created an
open-to-all site for conversations, workshops,
lectures, and dinners pertaining to a range of
topics about central ohio nonprofit agencies
and global cultural issues.
In addition to introducing pertinent topics about
contemporary life in a thematic exhibition format,
bringing artists to the CCad community is a key
component of the Bureau for open Culture. In
projects like Franklin’s VDC Copy Center, in-depth
interaction over a number of weeks between visiting
artists, students, and faculty stimulates lasting
relationships.
for CCad senior and fine arts major nicholas
hoffman, involvement with the bureau led to an
interest in alternative curatorial philosophies and
approaches that can be used in presenting art. “I
remember thinking what a breath of fresh air the first
exhibition put up through the bureau was,” he said.
“using social and cultural implications as the horizon
for the work instead of relying on the gallery/museum
is becoming an integral part of emerging art. It really
is a treat to have all this activity happening right here
in Columbus.”
COMING EXHIbITIONS
Of Other Spaces (feb. 25–april 25, 2009)
The New Normal (feb. 25–april 25, 2009)
Descent to Revolution (sept. 10–nov. 14, 2009)
Calling Beauty (feb. 17–april 10, 2010)
fACULTy bIENNIAL
STRENGTHENS STUDENTfACULTy
CONNECTION
at the opening reception of the 2008 Faculty Biennial Exhibition on
october 2, a lively crowd of students and faculty filled the Canzani Center
gallery and atrium. the opening was an opportunity for students to see their
instructors’ professional work and to talk informally with them about it.
Julie abijanac (CCad ‘92), assistant professor in foundation studies, believes that
getting students to realize the faculty are not just teachers, but also art makers,
is an important benefit of the faculty biennial program at CCad.
“students see my art and express their thoughts about it,” says abijanac. “they
get a greater understanding that we are practicing what we are preaching—we
are walking the walk.”
the impact of the exhibition on faculty-student relations extends beyond
opening night. for sculptor and fine arts professor peter rasmussen, the
exhibition has a long-term benefit for both students and faculty. “the exhibition
opens up a dialogue with students,” he says. “I notice a difference with
students coming to talk to me more, and I get to know them better. Issues that
never would have come up are discussed.”
peter rasmussen, professor, fine arts
In I’ll Fly Away, above (2008,
mixed media), spirit triumphs
over challenge.
Julie abijanac, assistant professor,
foundation studies
repetition, verging on ritual, is explored
in the slightly varied, stacked membranes
of Thick Skinned, detail above (2008,
recycled pattern paper).
The 2008 Faculty Biennial Exhibition, on view in the Canzani Center gallery from
october 3 to december 6, 2008, showcased the work of 88 faculty members
from all disciplines. the exhibition was presented with funds from the greater
Columbus arts Council. the ohio arts Council helped fund this program with
state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and
cultural enrichment for all ohioans. media sponsor was wwCd/Cd101-fm.
IMAGE MAGAZINE
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