The Fullerton College Art Gallery has a new exhibit on display that features the works from five FC student artists entitled “Transitional Realities”.
The exhibit was curated by the Museum Studies students taught by Carol Hankey.
Hankey was proud to mention that the creation of the concept and artist outreach was all done by her students. The exhibit is unique and offers a variety of different mediums of work – from oil paintings, collages made of hanji paper and sculptures boasting computer wires.
According to The Fullerton College Art Department website, the concept of “Transitional Realities” refers to “the changes in time, space and emotions of a person.”
While each artist has a different way of expressing themselves through their work, they are all connected through their internal realities. Something Josh Elias, one of the artists showing in the exhibit, likes to call a “floating city where every person has their own personal architecture.”
Donghyun Chung, one of the featured artist, shared a memory from her “personal architecture.” Describing her childhood when she would spend a lot of time in the backyard of her home looking at the gold fish in the pond her father made.
The Korean artist produced a series of “Hanji Collages” for the exhibit and uses all natural materials. Made of a paper produced from mulberry tree native to Korea, the papers are adhered to the frame with a homemade rice paste.
Natural elements were found in more than just Chung’s work, Linda Arreola’s pieces kit geometric planes on plywood. With her history in architecture, the ultra refined grid paintings give any perfectionist a sigh of relief.
She explained that the circles and squares are humble icons of a grand spirit that are “distill elements down to their most elemental form.” None of her paintings use mixed paints or intermingle, instead they sit on top of each other like a grid. This allows a piece to “transcend three dimensional onto a two dimensional plain.”
When walking through the gallery, you cant miss the elaborate three dimensional sculptures of computer wires hanging from the ceiling. You are instantly greeted by these structures that include tech gear from computer mouses to blue wires made for a routing system.
Chenhung Chen, the artist of the sculptures, is known for using the line as her medium and the many forms that a line can take. She explains that while “…learning calligraphy in school, the line was always a constant form of expression.”
This is apparent with her three-dimensional work where connection and communication is an important theme. She intentionally hinted to these themes by using computer wires.
Her collection of work also included an interactive piece entitled “U Are Here”. The viewer can take coper wire and pin it in a “U” shape onto the cork board. This was Chen’s way of offering the viewer a chance to express themselves through her medium.
You can place your “U” on the interactive piece and take part in the line of communication with the artist. The “Traditional Realities” exhibit is open through Nov. 30 in room 1004.
Admission is free and gallery hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit is also open evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.