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Student Showcases

More than half the walls in the historic Anderson Gallery were bare Wednesday afternoon, something that would typically cause panic just two days before an exhibition's opening reception.

The staff at the Anderson gallery looked cool as cucumbers, however; they knew the missing pieces were waiting to be juried in. Starting today (March 21), the gallery will be brimming with artwork, and the first of four exhibitions featuring works by Virginia Commonwealth University students will begin.

"These exhibitions bring some of the most anticipated (student) works," said Amy Moorefield , assistant director and curator of collections for the gallery.

Running through Sunday, May 18, the exhibitions will feature work from students in all departments of VCU's school of the arts. The four planned exhibitions are the Juried Design and Kinetic Imaging, the Juried Fine Arts and the MFA Thesis (rounds 1 and 2). Each exhibition will be up for 10 days.

This year's student exhibitions are unique for a number of reasons. Besides the fact that all of the art is produced by students, two of the four exhibitions are juried by well-known figures in the art world. A juried show offers a unique experience in that "one person has to picture how the pieces will go together (as a show)," said Anne Atkinson Blend , gallery project specialist.

The first exhibition, Juried Design and Kinetic Imaging, showcases works from the communication arts, fashion design, interior design and kinetic imaging departments. Works include paintings, digital images, clothing, film reels, sound rooms and more.

The combined kinetic imaging and design exhibitions portray the themes of replication, reproduction, multiplication and distribution. These were chosen to coincide with the Southern Graphics Council Conference, which will be held in Richmond from March 26 through 29. The conference is expected to draw more notice, both national and international, to the works of VCU's up-and-coming design students.

The design exhibition also features work from an international student from Qatar at the VCU School of Arts. Her work consists of seven huge graphics printed on panels that will hang in the first room of the gallery, and on the gallery's outside wall. New York-based curator and producer Meredith Johnson will be the juror for the kinetic imaging portion of the show. Faculty members pick all the other design works.

The juror process means each piece has been selected to contribute to the others so they work as an entirety. The process of selecting artwork for a show can be time consuming and stressful, said Blend.

"Oftentimes, (the jurors) rush into town, do it and leave," Blend said.

Last year it took the juror nine hours to go through the submissions. The juror looked at more than 600 pieces for last year's Juried Fine Arts Exhibition and chose 170. There are few limits to who can submit work for the fine arts exhibition. Any student enrolled in a fine art studio class may submit work, and it is not limited to art majors.

The second show will be the Juried Fine Arts Exhibition. This will be the 36th year for the exhibition. This year's juror is Beverly Semmes, a sculptor and artist who lives and works in New York City.

The final two shows will be the MFA Thesis Exhibitions. These are part of the final requirements for students earning a master's degree in the fine arts and design departments. Students studying painting and printmaking, sculpture and extended media, communication arts/material studies, photography and film and interior design will exhibit work that represents their two years of study in one of these specialties.

Much of these works follow the latest trends in today's art world, and since many of the pieces are for sale, the exhibition provides people with the chance to start or expand their art collections.

"We do sell a great deal of art (during all the shows)," Moorefield said. "It's a great way to start a collection."

Opening receptions will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on the first day of each exhibition. The gallery is free and open to the public.

There will be four exhibitions running from Friday, March 21 through Sunday, May 18.

w Friday, March 21 through Sunday, March 30 – Juried Design Exhibition, simultaneously with the Juried Kinetic Imaging Exhibition

w Friday, April 11 through Sunday, April 20 – Juried Fine Arts Exhibition

w Friday, April 25 through Sunday, May 4 – Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition (round 1)

w   Friday, May 9 through Sunday, May 18 – Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition (round 2)

w  Opening receptions will be held on the first day of the opening of each exhibit from 5 to 7 p.m. The events are free and open to the public.