By Abby Kozal
On Wednesday, Nov. 13 members of the Aquinas College community gathered in the Art & Music Center Gallery to celebrate the opening of the New Forms Class Exhibit.
“New Forms students are asked to commit to one idea at the beginning of class and work with that idea in different media throughout the semester,” said Dana Freeman, Art Department Chair and Professor for the current New Forms class in a statement posted outside the gallery.
Students had two rules: they were not allowed to work with any traditional medium in a “traditional way” (like painting or sculpting an object as it is), and they had to use “Media Metaphors” in which parts of their piece held some symbolic meaning.
“Students do reading/research and writing about their ideas, art assignments about their chosen idea in different media — photography, image weaving and video — then develop installations about their concepts that use the gallery space in unique ways,” says Freeman.
The exhibition features a variety of artwork created by the 11 students enrolled in the New Forms class. These pieces range from sculpture casts to photo prints to videography. Some works even incorporate an interactive element, inviting students to engage with the art.
Among these works is a piece titled “Memories” by sophomore Megan Szotko. The piece is made of receipts, letters, and a toy car. In her artist statement, Szotko states that “‘Memories’ is about the connection between objects and experiences, and the overwhelming feeling when making decisions regarding your future.”
“It challenged me to think outside the box because each piece required meaning in some form,” Szotko said. The receipts used represent the time, effort, and sacrifices put into making new experiences. The letters are the outcome of each experience.
“Memories” by Megan Szotko – Photo by Abby Kozal
Szotko invites visitors to share their own memories on slips of paper to place inside the car. She provides different slips of colored paper for guests to jot down their own memories, sealing them inside of small handcrafted envelopes.
The exhibit will run from Nov. 15 through Dec. 6. The gallery will be closed during Thanksgiving Break but will otherwise be open during typical gallery hours, available here on Aquinas’ website. The exhibit is completely free, and it’s a great opportunity to see the art of fellow Aquinas students.
Gallery opener “Remnants” by Emma Bowen – Photo by Abby Kozal
“Mom’s Dress, Grandma’s Dishes” by Morgan Sauerwein – Photo by Abby Kozal
The Saint 