1995
:dnesday • March 1, 1995
Aggie Life
The Battaeion • Page 3
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Nick Rodnicki/THE Battalion
The art collection "Self Possessed” is currently on display at J. Wayne Stark Art Gallery.
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Galleries add artistic touch to campus ‘Possessed’ gives artists chance to show self-portraits
By Keryl Cryer
The Battalion
| hen most students
* 1 1 /walk through the
V v Memorial Student
Center, they often pass by one
of the three art galleries within
its walls.
However, they often do not
realize the wealth of cultural ex
perience provided by the MSC
Forsyth Center Galleries, the J.
Wayne Stark University Center
Galleries and the MSC Visual
Arts Gallery.
The MSC Forsyth Center
Galleries, which is the oldest of
the three, was opened in Febru
ary 1989 in the area that once
housed the Association of For
mer Students.
Tim Novak, curator of the
Forsyth, said the gallery’s pri
mary coUection was a gift of for
mer student Bill Runyon.
“We are endowed by a former
student because he wanted art
to be accessible to students here
on campus,” Novak said.
Amy Day, coordinator of mar
keting and gallery programs for
the Forsyth and adviser to the
MSC Visual Arts Committee,
said that Runyon contributed
many western and impressionist
paintings as well as a world-
renowned collection of glass art.
The Forsyth gallery has
30,000 to 35,000 visitors an
nually.
“I would say probably 60 to
70 percent of our visitors are
from off-campus,” Novak said.
“People come from all over the
country and from overseas, par
ticularly to see the art glass col
lections.”
Sharing MSC space with
the Forsyth is the J. Wayne
Stark University Center Gal
leries, which features travel
ing exhibits as well as pieces
from the University’s perma
nent collection.
Registrar and curator
Catherine Hastedt said the
gallery’s 10,000 square feet
are divided into three large
galleries.
Two of the galleries usually
feature traveling exhibits that
change every six to eight weeks.
The other is used to feature the
9,000 pieces owned by the Uni
versity, especially those related
to history and other subjects re
lated to the current academic
climate.
“We are set up to showcase a
wide variety of exhibits that
compliment the educational mis
sion of the University as well as
to broaden cultural awareness
on campus,” Hastedt said.
One unique way that the
Stark gallery accomplishes this
is through the docent program.
The program provides stu
dent volunteers with an op
portunity to learn about the
exhibits and gives tours to
visitors.
Hastedt said many stu
dents involved in the program
do not take art classes, but
are still interested in learning
about art.
Another way that many
students get involved in art is
by joining the MSC Visual
Arts Committee, which spon
sors the MSC Visual Arts
Gallery on the second floor.
Scot Sanders, chairman for
the arts committee, said the
group targets the students
and young people in the com
munity who appreciate con
temporary art.
Since there are few places
in the area where the contem
porary is showcased, many
professional local artists as
well as several small traveling
exhibits are featured each se
mester in the gallery.
The committee tries to ex
pose students to all aspects of
art exhibition, including find
ing prospective exhibits, dis
playing the art, and meeting
the artists when their exhibits
are featured in the gallery.
By Amy Collier
The Battalion
^-y^he J. Wayne Stark University Center
* / Gallery is presenting selections from
# the Texas Fine Arts Association’s “Self
Possessed” collection of self-portraits until
April 2.
The display contains paintings, sculp
tures, photography and silkscreens by 23
artists, including four from Texas.
Catherine Hastedt, registrar and curator
of the Stark gallery, selected the exhibit for
the gallery because of the unique theme of
the portraits.
“I like to bring as wide of a variety as
possible into this gallery,” Hastedt said.
“Self-portraits are in the non-traditional
sense and I thought it would be neat to
make people aware of what’s going on out
there right now.”
Hastedt said the works in the display are
all by successful artists selected by Lynn
Zelevansky of the Museum of Modern Art in
New York.
The word “self-portrait” may be a mis
leading term to call the works, Hastedt said.
Instead of just painting pictures of them
selves, the artists show individuality and
cover various topics including gender, racial
stereotypes, the body and self-perception.
“It is not self-portraits in the traditional
sense,” Hastedt said. “It’s more them getting
across how they perceive themselves or how
they think others perceive them.”
John Gallegos, an artist from Santa Fe,
has his self-portrait in the gallery. His work
is comprised of nine separate paintings, four
of which are in the gallery. Each of the
paintings are either of a face or other ob
jects, such as a giant fly.
“I empower objects through my painting,”
Gallegos said. “The objects that are empow
ered along with my self-portrait combine to
create a magic realism.”
Gallegos leaves his paintings open to in
terpretations by viewers.
“I do not describe a singular theme but
instead ask myself, as well as the viewer, to
create their own dialogue with the images,”
Gallegos said. “I welcome the possibilities of
my art having a humorous and psychological
duality.”
Even humorous parodies are on display
at the exhibit.
Kay Klotzback, an artist from New Jer
sey, has a painting on display titled “Kahlo
on My Mind” which is a parody of famous
artists Frieda Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh.
Klotzback poked fun of the artists by paint
ing herself without an ear and being pierced
by arrows.
“My current body of work reflects my in
terest and/or skepticism as it applies to the
making of art, art history, myths, hype and
stereotypes,” Klotzback said. “Must an artist
cut off his ear or play the victim to be con
sidered a ‘serious artist?’”
Hastedt said because of the unique style
of the exhibit, viewers should come with an
open mind.
“It’s a broadening of what they consider
to be art,” Hastedt said. “They shouldn’t just
expect to see pictures of bluebonnets.”
sand
0.
(M
/
Chris Connelly brings intense show to 3rd Floor tonight
By Amber Clark
The Battalion
Chris Connelly, formerly of Re
volting Cocks and Ministry, will
bring his brand of dark music to 3rd
Floor Cantina tonight.
The Edinburgh, Scotland na
tive began his musical
career under the in
fluence of punk
rock and David
Bowie. Upon dis
covering his tal
ent to manipu
late sound with
limited instru
ments, he
formed his first band. Rigor Mortis. When Connel
ly was 14, the band gave way to Fini Tribe, a
rock/dance group he played with for eight years.
Fini Tribe acquired a reputation as a bizarre,
socially-ostracized group. They performed at high
school functions, but Connelly said the band was
determined to become something different.
While searching for any possible way to con
tinue their obscure, unique sounds, Connelly
took a Fini Tribe single to a London recording
studio. There he crossed paths with Revolting
Cocks and Ministry.
Connelly said he was invited to sing with Re
volting Cocks, a band that he considered one of his
favorites. He toured with Ministry, and spent sev
eral years performing with both groups.
Connelly said the screaming energy of the two
groups opened a new window for his voice. Turn
ing down the volume and concentrating on more
subdued messages of anguish, Connelly began his
solo career in 1990, and last fall he released his
third album, “Shipwreck.”
Connelly said he tries to write honest and
emotional pop songs. The lyrics aren’t necessari
ly sad, Connelly said, but he uses his subcon
scious and conscious mind to develop a pure, lit
eral emotional translation.
Connelly said he writes his music simultane
ously with his lyrics to make every part of the
song become one entity. The result is a style
that Connelly said has drawn a dedicated group
of listeners.
“The people who really hear this are the most
supportive followers,” Connelly said. “I try to make
music that is challenging. You have to think about
what I’m saying because this is music for the head.
It can be flighty, but it really makes you think.”
Life experiences are Connelly’s biggest inspira
tion, and he said he is heavily influenced by the lo
cal geography of places he visits while on tour.
Connelly said the one place he finds the purest in
spiration is inside his own mind.
“I spend a lot of time inside my head,” Connelly
said. “I like to think and get carried away.”
Even when he is on tour, the majority of Con
nelly’s spare time is spent developing his music.
“Music is my hobby,” Connelly said. “Other
than that, I don’t do any super outrageous things.”
Connelly said his solo career is the only priority
in his future. He said he has a fantastic band and
they all plan to continue walking down the same
unique musical road.
His dark but flighty style on “Shipwreck” and
during his live performances will please his dedi
cated followers, Connelly said.
“The show is really great,” Connelly said. “No
body walks away disappointed. It’s really intense.”
Liberal Arts Career Awareness Fair
Wednesday, March 1, 1995
Rudder Exhibit Hall • 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Exhibitors are looking to fill both part-time and
full-time positions along with internships
(summer and semester)
Liberal Arts students register at the Career Fair to
Win Door prizes!!!
■ -
“Tfaun,
Spaces are still available for
TAMU Spring Semester in
Italy 1996.
Scholarship and Financial Aid
deadlines are nearing.
PLAN NOW!
Come to the Study Abroad Programs Office
today for locations and times of
informational meetings!
Study Abroad Programs
161 Bizzell Hall West
845-0544