Exposure eludes student artists

By JILL JACOBS
and MARIE PATRICOLA
Collegian Arts Writers

The sentiment among many University art students is the growth of student art work is being stunted on campus by minimal recognition and exhibition -- the main factors hindering the development of student artists.

Although there are various places dispersed throughout campus --Zoller Gallery, Pattee, the HUB and Kern -- that sporadically display various forms of student art work, one prominent location has ignored student artists.

The lack of student art in the Palmer Museum of Art has raised the question among the student and administrative community of whether student work belongs in Palmer, which has historically provided a forum for professional artists.

With its permanent collection and various exhibits, Palmer has enriched the cultural atmosphere of the University, said Cheryl Capezzuti (graduate-art education) assistant director for the HUB Arts and Crafts Center.

However, Eric Greytok (senior-turfgrass science) wondered whether the museum hinders students by failing to recognize them through exhibition, causing minimal contact between student body and administration.

"There's a lot of talent within the students that should be expressed for all to see," Greytok said. Student art work should be included in the museum, he said.

Kahren Jones Arbitman, museum director, could not be reached for comment about the museum's policies regarding student art exhibits.

"There should be student representatives that have some interaction with the museum. Palmer is outside the student consciousness and mostly caters to people outside the student body. It's kind of a mystery how it operates," said Bill Hosterman (senior-printmaking).

Some others think student art work simply should not be shown at Palmer.

"The museum is a fine art museum with specific exhibitions for established artists. Palmer is not a gallery, but a true museum," said Mary Anna Miles, coordinator of public information for the College of Arts and Architecture.

Capezzuti agreed with Miles, saying student work should not be exhibited in Palmer.

"Students who feel their art work belongs in a museum are just silly, cocky little kids. Student art work is about learning, experiencing and discovering why (they are) an artist," Capezzuti said.

Ron Hand, exhibition designer for Palmer, said if there were not so many places on campus that exhibited student art work, the museum's administration might consider the idea of displaying their art.

"There's a place for everything," he said.

In the past, student complaints have included the lack of undergraduate student art work on campus in general, requests for more gallery space and an increase in opportunities to publicize their work, said James Stephenson, director of the school of visual arts. In response to this, the Patterson Building became a forum specifically for undergraduate student art work, he said.

But some students said this is not enough.

"Most students don't go in and out of Patterson much. It gets visitors but not a lot -- mostly visual arts students," Hosterman said.

And Palmer will probably not be exhibiting student art work any time soon, but there is a plan that would provide an opportunity for students artists to have more publicity.

Ann Shields, head of the HUB and Kern building, is presently working on implementing a plan for student art work to be displayed in other campus buildings. The Ritenour Health Center and West Halls are possible sites for the proposed plan, Shields said.