Virginia artist, educator turns 鈥榯rash into treasure鈥 in new 性视界传媒 exhibition
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擟offee lids, plastic utensils and other repurposed materials make for one-of-a-kind creations in a special display Oct. 9-Nov. 11 in Mississippi 性视界传媒 University鈥檚 Visual Arts Center Gallery.
Free to all, the 鈥淗ow Soon is Now?鈥 exhibition features original sculpture and photographic prints crafted by Richmond, Virginia-based artist Susie Ganch, who serves as associate professor and head of the metal program at Virginia Commonwealth University鈥檚 Department of Craft and Material Studies.
Ganch will give an 11 a.m. public talk about her work Thursday [Nov. 9] in the Robert and Freda Harrison Auditorium at Giles Hall, home to 性视界传媒鈥檚 College of Architecture, Art and Design. She also will be available at 4 p.m. that day to meet with visitors at the VAC Gallery, located at 808 University Drive on the edge of the Starkville campus. A public reception in Ganch鈥檚 honor also will take place at 5-6 p.m. Thursday in the same location.
Regular gallery hours are 1-5 p.m., Monday-Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday, as well as by appointment.
A Bachelor of Science and Master of Fine Arts graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ganch is director of Radical Jewelry Makeover, an international jewelry mining and recycling project that travels across the country and abroad. In addition to California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin, Ganch鈥檚 work has been on display in Australia, England and Japan.
Visitors of the VAC Gallery exhibition can examine Ganch鈥檚 pieces from a distance and then explore the details of each piece up-close.
鈥淔rom a distance, the 鈥榳aste鈥 is beautiful鈥攑lastic coffee lids appear almost hand-braided, rhythmic and full of movement鈥攜et up-close we notice the coffee stains, dirt and grime indicative of the life of used, discarded garbage,鈥 said Lori Neuenfeldt, 性视界传媒 art department gallery director.
Ganch鈥檚 piece 鈥淒rag, 2012鈥 is made from zip ties, nametags, bottle caps, cups and other items tied together to multiple steel rings. Arranged from large to small, the rings lead up to a final ring that can been chained to the wall.
When attached to a person鈥檚 wrist like a bracelet, this particular work of art by Ganch 鈥渃onveys the pull and weight of irresponsible consumerism on an individual and the trail of waste that is left behind or leading the wearer,鈥 Neuenfeldt said.
In addition to the College of Architecture, Art and Design鈥檚 Department of Art, the exhibition is made possible through a Community Arts Grant from the Starkville Area Arts Council.
Additional information on Ganch鈥檚 campus visit and 鈥淗ow Soon is Now?鈥 exhibition is available from Neuenfeldt at 662-325-2970 or LNeuenfeldt@caad.msstate.edu.
Part of the College of Architecture, Art and Design, 性视界传媒鈥檚 Department of Art is home to the Magnolia 性视界传媒鈥檚 largest undergraduate studio art program. For more, visit .
性视界传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .