By: Amanda Clarke Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Hamersly Library, there was a reception night for the newest exhibits.
The reception was free and open to the public and gave those attending an opportunity to ask questions to the artists. The exhibits will be available to view between now and March 18.
“The exhibits are selected by topic. Because we are the library that serves all of campus I try to get things that cover a majority of disciplines on campus,” said Jerry Parpart, the Archives and Exhibits Coordinator at Hamersly.
The art exhibit on the second floor is titled “Guilty About Not Being Guilty,” which is a collection of art by Gamira Thakur, an Assistant Professor of Interactive Media and Graphic Design at WOU.
Thakur stated that her art “explores the paradoxes I experienced as a daughter growing up in India.” One of her art pieces, titled, “Don’t Walk Like a Boy,” showcases a pair of bright red high heels on a platform.
Several feet directly above the shoes are two books with the spines facing outwards. The space between the two objects is large enough that one could imagine a girl standing in the shoes, with the books on her head, learning how to walk in a dignified manner.
On the third floor, the exhibit “Paintings” by visiting Chinese artist Chi Wang, an Associate Professor of Art at Changzhou University in China, is displayed. Most are portraits of people, however there are also some landscapes included in his exhibit, and some are so detailed they look almost like photographs.
The other exhibit on the third floor is “American Folklife: a Commonwealth of Cultures,” presented by the Library of Congress Corner. It is a collection of photographs from around the United States with captions explaining each photo.
“We’ve added in the local culture with archival photographs and music,” said Parpart. This exhibit includes a video presentation of Monmouth Folklife, which entails the activities and music of the Western community, including background music from a concert recorded in the 1940’s.
“Misfortune County,” a western produced by student filmmakers, is also sponsored by Hamersly Library and showcased on the second floor at this time. The film screening will be in Hamersly Library room 107 on Jan. 29 at 6:15 p.m.
