Smith College
Office of College Relations
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October 3, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Works of Art "On the Fence"
at Smith College

NORTHAMPTON, Mass.-The Smith College Museum of Art recently initiated a new exhibition space on the construction fence that surrounds the Smith College Museum of Art and Fine Arts Center renovation now underway on Elm Street. The project, titled "On the Fence: Public Art in Public Space," will host works of art of any medium that can withstand being outdoors.


Judith Marksbury, associate director of college relations and member of the fence art project committee, said, "It will be fascinating to see what we are sure will be a great diversity of artwork installed in such a nontraditional setting. Particularly pleasing is the opportunity this project provides for community members to share their talent. I think we all will be impressed by the imagination and ingenuity required to display one's art in an out-of-doors gallery."


Participants in this exhibition will be individuals and groups of all ages, including Smith students, staff and faculty; local artists; school groups and community organizations from the greater Northampton area. Each installation will be on display from one to 14 days.


Using a variety of weatherproof materials, the proposed works of art vary from writings and illustrations to massive collages and paintings. All submitted works are subject to approval by an advisory committee that includes representatives from the museum and several other Smith academic departments as well as a local artist.


Nancy Rich, curator of education for the museum and chair of the fence art project said, "This valley has many talented artists, and we wanted to make it possible for Smith and Northampton area communities to see each others' work. Response has been good, and more proposals are welcome. Exposure to weather will be a challenge, but people are coming up with great ideas on materials. Maybe in the winter someone will do an installation with ice. And with the one-day installation option, artists could even use the fence for a one-day art fair."


The site was recently established as a gallery space when the first exhibit, "Wood Paintings" by Amherst artist Lorna Ritz, was installed along the chain-link fence facing Neilson Library. In the coming months, all sides of the fence will be used to host a wide array of installations by a diverse collection of artists and groups.


From Oct. 28-Nov. 4, the fence will serve as a "sounding board" for the Smith community as it celebrates Otelia Cromwell Day, an annual symposium devoted to issues of racial and cultural diversity. The topic for this year's symposium is "The Politics of Culture: Appropriation, Appreciation, Interrogation," and members of the Smith community will be encouraged to express their reactions to the symposium events by writing or drawing on the white fabric draped over the fence.


The advisory board has received considerable interest in the fence art project and several additional proposals have been submitted for future exhibitions. One group, organized by Northampton artist Elizabeth Caine, plans to install works that incorporate everyday objects, like recyclable containers, into patterns and designs that form large mosaics.


Another display, tentatively scheduled for early 2002, will combine the fictional stories and corresponding artwork of the young students of Northampton freelance writer Janice Beetle Scaife.
For more information on how to submit artwork to display "on the fence," visit www.smith.edu/artmuseum/programs/index.htm.


The Fine Arts Center, which includes the Museum, is currently undergoing an ambitious $35 million renovation and expansion project expected to be completed in 2003. Until its reopening, the museum continues to provide an art presence on the Smith campus with outdoor exhibitions like "Art on the Fence" and Patrick Dougherty's twig sculpture, "Paradise Gate."


In addition, highlights of the museum's collections are traveling the United States and overseas in three touring shows. To learn more about the Smith College Museum of Art and its many programs and exhibitions, or to monitor the progress of the Fine Arts Center renovation, visit www.smith.edu/artmuseum or call (413) 585-2760.

 

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