A work of art tells many stories. The artist’s story and intent, the story of its place in time, which then intertwines into the stories of those who view it. This exhibition will explore how art can signify a place, a time, and stories about the world or just one person. Art is powerful, it can create visceral memories and strong communities, bringing people together while they each create their own individual interpretations of what they see, through the lens of their lived experiences. Most often it is the curator who relays the different interpretations, created through meticulous research and interviews with artists, through an exhibition at an art museum, but there are more stories we should be telling about the art on display.
University Museums has reached out to our community at Iowa State and beyond to tell your stories or interpretations with our permanent collection for this exhibition. The exhibition includes artist intent, their stories, along with your stories written through your personal lens of who you are, where you are from, and how these inform your unique viewpoints. It is a space open to discussion about the meaning of art and the place of art in a world greatly changed over the last few months.
Art is impactful for its ability to reflect time and place, humanity, and the world. Over the past 40 years, the mission of University Museums has been to exhibit and interpret art for the Iowa State campus. As we emerge from this time of isolation, we ask for your stories to broaden the understanding of art within the collection and the place of art in our campus community.
Adrienne Gennett Exhibition Curator Associate Curator, University Museums
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)
