Second round of senior art shows open April 22

After months of creative work, seven seniors are ready to display their senior art shows to the Cornell community.

This second round of exhibitions can be found in the Peter Paul Luce Gallery, the third floor of Cole Library, and in Zamora’s Market from Sunday, April 22 through Wednesday, May 2. An opening reception will be held from 2–4 p.m. on April 22 at the three locations of the art shows.

Alondra Arias ’18 created her show titled “Border Babies.” Her artwork is based on her identity of being a first-generation American and the challenges she faces. It’s a series of photos in Tijuana, Mexico, the border between Mexico and the United States. She also photographed herself in a stereotypical Mexican outfit, including labels that Mexico places on her. Then, she photographed herself in a stereotypical American outfit, including labels America puts on her. Her show will take place in the Peter Paul Luce Gallery.

Anna J Auvil ’18 presents her show, “Permanence,” which seeks to capture the concept of impermanence in both idea and form. With the articulation of the human figure through plaster drapings, the work becomes a snapshot of a moment left behind by the fluidity of life. This fluidity is emphasized by its juxtaposition with the rigidity of the artwork’s frozen fabric. Her show will take place in the Peter Paul Luce Gallery. 

Charlie Anderson ’18 is presenting a concept that has grown from a few poorly drawn sketches of extraterrestrials posted on a personal Instagram account to a following of 10,000 people on Facebook. Anderson’s “Sad Alien Club” now consists of the same cartoonish aliens, but with slightly higher quality through their creation in Adobe Draw. Rather than bringing her Sad Aliens out of their natural habitat on Instagram, Charlie chose to keep their original format by creating an online Instagram gallery filled with sad aliens for all to see. In addition to her online gallery, Charlie’s space in the Peter Paul Luce Gallery will be hosting a Sad Alien Club Pop-Up Shop, consisting of original paintings and other Sad Alien-themed merchandise available for purchase. Her show will take place in the Peter Paul Luce Gallery. 

Conor Moore ’18 created “Augmented Landscapes,” featuring works that play with how he perceives and interprets information beyond his immediate surroundings, through technology use. The work portrays a network of intertwined and enveloping information. The visuals are derived from personal media and information binging from his personal technology consumption. Each idea transforms and bleeds into another, showing the radical stimulation and creativity that technology forms as an extension of self, essentially augmenting understanding of reality in the idle moments of everyday life. Moore’s artwork will be displayed in Zamora’s Market.

Jessica Marlene Lopez García says her exhibition, “María,” pays homage to her mother and grandmother. The show is comprised of needlework techniques passed down to Lopez Garcia that depict sayings and metaphors that were also passed down to the artist from these women. Through this medium, Lopez Garcia explores the intersectionality of culture, family, feminism, craft, and art. Her show will take place in the Peter Paul Luce Gallery.

Joey Lacey ’18 has created a show called “Ars Ex Fuga,” which is a collection of paintings based on the themes of flight, aviation, earth, land, and sea. The acrylic pieces for the collection are inspired by his family ties, other aviation artists, and personal interest with the topic from his childhood years. Each painting portrays its own individual story, with great usage of depth, color, and lighting. Lacey’s artwork will be on display in the third-floor art gallery of Cole Library.

Lily Niswonger ’18 is presenting her show “henry,” a collection of black and white photographs. The pieces in this show are simply done to portray formal photography elements in combination with abstract, unconventional, and juxtaposed components. While exposing viewers to the subject’s manipulation and vulnerability, the work also intends to challenge the viewers on their preconceived notions of masculine stereotypes. Her show will take place in the Peter Paul Luce Gallery.

The displays are free and open to the public. All Cornell senior studio art majors receive their own studio spaces and prepare exhibitions consisting of entirely fresh bodies of work in the mediums of their choice. They propose their exhibitions before the department faculty, mount the exhibitions, and advertise and defend their shows in front of the art and art history professors.