Open Storage Exposition / A Cabinet of Faculty Object Obsessions
Postcard design by UWF Department of Art Graphic Design students Chris Edgar, Amanda Merritt, Matt Pham and Zena Pirnot.
OPEN STORAGE EXPOSITION /A CABINET OF FACULTY OBJECT OBSESSIONS
January 10, 2012 – January 26, 2012 //
Reception January 12, 2012 6-8pm
Objects play a vital role in our lives. They are a material record of our existence. The desire to accumulate meaningful artifacts is a uniquely human impulse. We all save mementos from significant events in our lives and cherish objects passed down through generations. Museums formed because of this impulse. They are houses built to study, preserve and display the collections amassed by people over time. As such, museums communicate our history, our culture, our traditions, our nature.
How do we decide which objects are worth collecting? The ideas, the images and the objects we value are shaped by our culture. However, cultural values differ from society to society and change with time. This mutability calls into question the hierarchies that determine what is worthy of display. This exhibition seeks to share collections and objects that tell stories of personal and individual histories, inspirations, obsessions and relationships.
In the tradition of 17th and 18th century European Wunderkammers or Cabinets of Curiosities, Open Storage Exposition / A Cabinet of Faculty Object Obsessions presents a sumptuous collection of artifacts, objects, artworks and ephemera collected by UWF Art Faculty over the years. The wondrously eclectic collection provides an insightful (and sometimes intimate) look into the creative impulses shaping the work and lives of these artists and educators.
We invite you to experience our little, ephemeral museum and hopefully find some beauty in our mess.
-Amy Bowman-McElhone, Curator + Director, TAG UWF
All events are free and open to the public. For more information contact TAG UWF at artgallery@uwf.edu or 850.474.2696.
The Art Gallery at the University of West Florida seeks to challenge, stimulate and engage students and the greater public through direct interaction with works of contemporary art.
