First Time's a Charm!

This past Saturday I attended my first art gallery opening. It was at the Monongalia Arts Center (the MAC) here in Morgantown. I went with my longtime best friend, Jack.

We walked between the giant columns of the historic building and through the lobby.

Right then, we both acknowledged the fact that we were newbies, so we took a deep breath and entered the Benedum gallery. The white walls were adorned by various photographs of different subjects. Fourteen artist's work were on display.

View of the photographs (picture taken later in the week)

Some images included Appalachian wildlife, abandoned factories, portraits, landscapes of foreign countries, our beloved Mountaineer Football players in action, and even the wreckage of the Pentagon attack from September 11, 2001. I felt a balanced mixture of 'overwhelmed' and 'admiration.'

The space in between the was full of chit-chatting bystanders who were too, enjoying to works of the artists. Most artists were from Morgantown so many were networking and sipping red wine.

Fragile Places postcard
for the exhibit

After we grabbed a glass of wine for ourselves, we walked up the marble stairs to see the next exhibit. The work of Raquel Martina Lopez titled Fragile Places (Lugares Fragiles) was set up different than the last.
The theme was women as a place. Half a dozen clay sculptures of native women were placed throughout the room. They all laid in various positions. Brown and grey leaves lined the perimeter of the room and around the sculptures. About 50 or so tiny houses made of black and white paper peeked out of the leaves.

From the MAC website: The delicate and weak houses made of paper are on the hard and heavy ceramic woman that becomes a mountain...The breast becomes a mountain — arms becomes the street of the valley...Rivers and roads come and go between the white and black of the paper. She uses paper to represent dreams: Dreams are made of paper — they are not strong, but fragile. The light builds the dreams.

Cheering to a successful first-time art gallery opening!!

Overall, I feel like the exhibit opening went really well and it was a great event for me to experience. I was able to meet some interesting people and spoke with the director of the MAC, Ro Brooks. I got to see how the gallery operated in action.

Both exhibits will remain in the gallery throughout the month of March. I really suggest checking them out if you have a chance-- Even if it's in between classes or after lunch.