By By NATALIE MILLS
Staff Photographer
Preface Photo/NATALIE MILLS
Where can you go to see self-portraits made by your professor? Or interact with a robotic machine? The new art gallery in the Education and Arts building hosts both of these things and more.
Gallery Director Josh Miller graduated from IU South Bend in 2011 with a fine arts degree in sculpture. He has been working for the South Bend Museum of Art for eight years, assisting with three to four shows each year. Along with being the new gallery director at IU South Bend, he teaches a visual literacy class and assists with a class for seniors preparing for their BFA Shows.
The gallery’s walls are backed with floor-to-ceiling plywood to support hanging art, the floors are specially planned with electrical outlets and the lighting is easily movable for different shows and purposes.
There are many opportunities that having a gallery gives to students in the fine arts program. Gallery assistants will learn techniques such as arranging and correctly lighting an exhibition, organizing exhibition openings and promoting the gallery. Students completing their BFA shows will use Miller as a mentor when prepping for their show.
He said he would like to eventually open up the chance for students to propose group exhibitions.
“It’s important for the students,” Miller said. “It’s something they’re going to do, ideally, as studio artists later on – approach galleries with shows and portfolios.”
Each show will last for approximately one month. Currently in the space is a faculty show, which displays work by current and former school of the arts professors. Following will be an alumni Show, the Scholarship Art Sale and finally the December BFA show, which will end the semester.
The gallery is open to the public Monday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.
Miller suggests that all students “just go, look, experience and don’t worry about what people tell you should be looking at or what you should think. Just go take it in on your own.”
