This past week, at Center For the Arts (CFA), UB hosted an open art exhibition for all UB art students to exhibit their work. The exhibit included everything from studio arts, to live music performances. The night started at 5 p.m., with music playing over the speakers, food tables out in the atrium and groups of people milling about.
Soon after, the first of many performers started off the night, The Department of Theatre and Dance put on select numbers from the musical “Ride the Cyclone,” with performers from the production singing their hearts out.
Milling about the building, if one heads right, past the CFA Gallery, down a long hallway, displaying art from all different groups of students and concentrations, past another snack table, (stopping only briefly for a cookie, of course) one would stumble upon a line of dedicated studios.
Of these studios, some are dedicated to professors and researchers, while others to grad students. Peaking into the rooms, one would be hit with a flurry of creativity and talent. Seeing a variety of sketch drawings, oil paintings, murals, computer generated logos and much more.
One studio that catches the eye belongs to H. Boone, a Master of Fine Arts candidate and interdisciplinary artist. Boone uses mixed mediums to create sculptures inspired by body horror and science fiction. Their art is an interpretation of gender non-conforming people around them and a way to build a visual and material representation of their and other trans experiences.
Moving on down the line, another stand out artist can be found in Sudi Wang. Wang is a first year grad student pursuing a masters in studio arts. Her concentration specifically focuses on woodblock printmaking. A process in which an image or design is carved into a piece of wood and printed onto a sheet of kozo paper, an extremely fine, paper-like piece of bark. She is inspired by the culture she grew up in with a lot of her designs having influences from Chinese mythologies, religions and traditions.
Lastly, but not least, there’s Eva Wong, a senior undergraduate student in graphic design. Wong’s work centered on a poster inspired by one of her favorite video games, “NEO The World Ends With You,” which is an action role playing game. The poster is heavily inspired by the game’s aesthetic, but with her own unique twist on it. Wong said that “showing my work was fun and made me feel nervous,” as was most certainly a common sentiment among all the artists and performers of the night.
Moving back out from the second floor, just in time to catch the second live performance of the night, staged by the Zodiaque Dance Company, one would get to enjoy the masterful movements and choreography inspired by the album, “Ella & Duke” and the song “Imagine My Frustration,” by Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.
After which, one could stay and enjoy the rest of the night watching more dances, a viola solo by Professor Leanne Darling, or the UB Faculty Jazz Combo, performed by members of the Department of Music, or continue to wander around CFA observing different studios, galleries and more.
Events like these are so important for up and coming artists as they allow them a chance to showcase their art to the public as well as networking and connection. Not to mention the impact that it has on the public and UB’s community as a whole. Getting this chance to bring the student base and UB’s art world together means a whole expanse of opportunities for both artists and non-artists alike.
Art is an integral part of any community, with it being a forerunner for expression and individualism, but sometimes bridging the gap between the general public and the art world can be a bit difficult.
CFA, other than just being the place to house UB’s artistic scene, also serves as a leader in helping to bridge this gap, hosting a majority of UB’s artistic events throughout the year.
The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
