Open Studios exposes artists’ art and soul

People tend to associate artwork with the stark white walls and hushed atmospheres of a museum or gallery, and rarely contemplate the space in which it was originally created. School of the Arts’ MFA Open Studios provided a new way to look at art, built upon direct interactions with the artists and environments that bring a work of art to life.

On Sunday, Nov. 20, second-year visual arts MFA candidates at SoA unveiled their studios to the public. The studios, located in Watson and Prentis Halls, opened for three-hour periods. The artists were available to discuss their artwork informally and engage with visitors. Open Studios occurs each year toward the end of the fall semester. This year, there were 26 participants—each with his or her own studio.

The experience was a hodgepodge of different artists, styles, and techniques. Each studio seemed to exist as an independent, skillfully designed exhibit. Yet despite their professionalism and careful arrangement, the studios were not static final products. They were filled with the evidence of an ongoing artistic process.

The overpowering smell of oil paint saturated some studios, while others had clippings on the walls above their desks, such as notes scrawled on post-its and a Calvin and Hobbes comic. Bookshelves revealed artists’ diverse sources of inspiration, and coffee makers evidenced late nights spent working.

The artists’ presence in their studios also facilitated visitors in understanding the work. Many visitors questioned the artists about the techniques, processes, and intentions behind each piece. Studios containing self-portraiture introduced a dynamic tension between the presence of the artists and their representations.

Some artists actively inserted themselves into their work. Artist Raphael Lyon, SoA ’12, informed visitors that the price of admission was either $1, or the permission to photograph them from the rear. He then gave each person a heavy brick covered with iridescent neon yellow paint to use as a light, as his work was displayed in a pitch-black enclosure within his studio. As each visitor left the studio, Lyon handed them a postcard of his website of erotic cat images.

The format of Open Studios also provided the unique opportunity for viewers to alter the way artists see their own work.

Artist Beatrice Parsons stated that she learned a lot from opening her studio. “You get to hear the immediate reaction, which I think is really valuable … When someone comes and looks at the work from outside it can change, and it’s really surprising,” Parsons said.

The event allowed visitors to interact with art in an unusually intimate setting. Rather than reading about the works on a curatorial plaque on the wall, they learned about the works from unedited titles or directly from the artist’s mouth. Open Studios forced viewers to consider the impact of environment and process on the creation and perception of art.