SUNY's Graveside Art
OBSERVER TODAY
By Michael Rukavina
NEW YORK - Unlike the typical white blank canvas given to artists to begin their creative work, SUNY Fredonia students in professor Peter Tucker's upper-level special topics class were given a pre-made backdrop instead the Forest Hill Cemetery in Fredonia.
The pieces of work that were scattered throughout the cemetery back on May 7 are known as installation art, a site-specific form of art. The theme students were given to work was "memorial," and the name of the show was "That's Deep." Students were asked to approach the assignment, which represents their final class project, from two major perspectives: creating a work that responds to a site, and creating a work that transforms a site. Each piece had its own meaning, but most dealt with or represented mortality or death given the "canvas" that was presented. "The title of my piece is 'Traverse.' This installation piece is meant to confront the meaning of death from a different light," art student Lacey Whatley explained about her steps and door piece. "This work alludes to the idea of life after death, but also allows for the viewers perception of death to create meaning in the piece. Visitors to the cemetery that day were able to view the exhibit for three hours. Maps to specific pieces were made available at the cemetery entrance. To view the rest of the pieces of work visit Facebook and search SUNY Fredonia Visual Arts and New Media. [link]
By Michael Rukavina
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| SUNY Art Installation at Forest Hill Cemetary |
The pieces of work that were scattered throughout the cemetery back on May 7 are known as installation art, a site-specific form of art. The theme students were given to work was "memorial," and the name of the show was "That's Deep." Students were asked to approach the assignment, which represents their final class project, from two major perspectives: creating a work that responds to a site, and creating a work that transforms a site. Each piece had its own meaning, but most dealt with or represented mortality or death given the "canvas" that was presented. "The title of my piece is 'Traverse.' This installation piece is meant to confront the meaning of death from a different light," art student Lacey Whatley explained about her steps and door piece. "This work alludes to the idea of life after death, but also allows for the viewers perception of death to create meaning in the piece. Visitors to the cemetery that day were able to view the exhibit for three hours. Maps to specific pieces were made available at the cemetery entrance. To view the rest of the pieces of work visit Facebook and search SUNY Fredonia Visual Arts and New Media. [link]
