The second of the two VACA Senior Shows are currently displayed in the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery. The show features the capstone projects of seniors Zack Furr, Noussaiba Garti, and Oslyn Mejia Gomez. They had the chance to explain their projects and go into depth on the meaning behind them during the gallery opening on April 17. The three seniors were present to give insight and answer questions from the audience after their presentations.
Gomez was the first to present his work, beginning by thanking everyone for attending and recognizing familiar faces and support for all of his work and his peers. Gomez’s project was named “Urban Icons,” drawing towards a grungy feel to his art and emphasis on lighting. He explains his usage of a fisheye lens, which captures a 180-degree field of view that is difficult to photograph with but creates distortions that Gomez showcases within his art. The posing of his models was subconsciously inspired by urban Christian icon paintings. Gomez’s time with photography led him to wanting to create the grungy tone and graphic design element in his art. Gomez’s framing in his artwork was inspired by a trip to Gift and Thrift, where he bought a book about collages. This inspired the rips and tears for framing, which was showcased in his collection. He shared, “the moment I had seen that, I knew it would fit the aesthetic I was going for.” His work required several copies of black and white color of original copying paper for the rips and tears, and pasting of his framing. Another big inspiration Gomez spoke about was subway art and graffiti, which he has been drawn to since middle school. Along with the artwork pasted on the walls, Gomez included a rack at the gallery showcasing all of his drafts and work that didn’t make the final cut, but showed the effort and inspiration from where his final pieces came.
Next was Garti, she thanked her peers and her class for working hard on the show. Garti wanted to make an impact through her art, make it alive, and to invite people to relate to the message. Garti’s show, “Accessory to Murder” was meant to convey a message of growth and overcoming self-destructive habits, as it did when she went through this creative process. Her work of art had a mystical vibe and formal characteristics through movie posters. Garti was inspired by early French pioneers and the idea of a crime scene narrative that she very much liked, with its craziness. Garti’s project had three chapters and sections, each told a different story and was interactive with its set design and posters. A lot of her work and showcase was inspired by the 2016 comedy horror film “The Love Witch,” with her set design and posters. Garti wanted to make the idea of growth come across through an active installation, with the hope that the viewer will be able to relate in some way.
Lastly, the audience heard from Furr. His work dealt with the topic of sexual assault and the importance of recognizing these types of things. Furr’s show started two years ago, as a project in one of VACA professor Jerry Holsopple’s classes. “The most important thing that I was thinking when conceptualizing the show is, how do I give all of the people involved in the platform without putting myself into it so much, and do it in a way that is comfortable for them.” Furr conducted interviews and put the show together in a way that did not have himself in it as much, and more so, as a mediator of their stories.
Furr had a sit-down interview with each person involved with his show and enabled them to convey their message and story in the way that they wanted it to be expressed. Furr’s project also had portraits of the people involved, and allowed them to decide how they wanted it to be shown, each portrait was accompanied by a panoramic image of their choosing. Each person had a chance to talk about what they wanted through a voice recording that could be played in the Black Box, where Furr’s project was held. Furr’s project was a showcase of other stories, which enables people to be more aware of the topic.
Gomez, Garti, and Furr’s artwork will be displayed in the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery and Black Box Theater until May 1. Stop by the gallery to see their work in person.
