Sculpting student involvement in arts
By Allison Ashmore
April 13, 2005 9:00 p.m.
With rock ‘n’ roll blaring in the once-serene
courtyard, jazz and electronica reverberating through plastic and
bronze, and burgers next to “Breadface,” students are
in the Hammer.
Though a seemingly impossible feat, the Student Advisory
Committee hopes to make it happen as the UCLA Hammer Museum hosts a
party exclusively for UCLA students on April 15 from 7-10 p.m. The
night is planned be filled with art, live music and performances,
free In-N-Out food from 7:30-9 p.m. and giveaways, including an
iPod shuffle.
“It’s a Student THING!” is the first event
organized by the Hammer Museum’s Student Advisory Committee.
In its freshman year, the committee is composed of 13
undergraduates studying a wide range of fields, from fine arts to
math and political science. The committee’s goal is to
increase the museum’s visibility on campus, attempting to
bring light to the Hammer’s progressive exhibitions.
“This will be an exciting opportunity for UCLA students to
get acquainted with the Hammer and see what the museum has to
offer,” said Audrey Edwards, committee member and a
fourth-year European studies student.
The event revolves around the Hammer’s newest exhibition,
THING, which showcases avant-garde and unconventional sculptures
from emerging Los Angeles artists. THING attempts to challenge the
stereotype of sculpture as an art form of ancient times with its
experimental and contemporary exhibit.
THING artists Kate Costello and Kaz Oshiro are facilitating
one-on-one interaction to discuss their art and the inner workings
of an artist’s studio.
“A lot of the students that do come to the museum are art
students, so we wanted to honor their presence and passion with
intimate workshops,” Edwards said. “But not just art
(students) should come; the Hammer has a lot to offer
everyone.”
With the innovative THING works reflecting the energy and
originality of the Los Angeles art scene, the event aspires to
capture this vitality in its own scene. Inspired by the fresh and
provocative art forms, the committee decided to choose live art
performances to enhance the environment surrounding the exhibit and
draw in a broader crowd.
“THING is sculpture art that is ambiguous,” Edwards
said, “so we wanted to pick a wide variety of performances to
interact with the art.”
Like the THING artists themselves, Los Angeles’
up-and-coming generation, the performers are all eager and
innovative UCLA students. The performances are a unique, eclectic
blend reflecting the ambiguity and freshness of the exhibit while
creating a fun and lively atmosphere.
There is a scheduled performance by graduate student Liam Clancy
melding vaudevillian elegance with social commentary, including
stilts, spoken word and music. In addition to this
somewhat-eccentric performance, there is also a standard rock
‘n’ roll band, Paramount, lined up.
“Once you have a guy on stilts, you need a rock
band,” said Nate Thompson, a fourth-year history student who
plays bass and sings for Paramount.
Along with these live performances, there will be a jazz band,
The Men of the Basement, experimental electronic pop from The
Nimoys, and Joey Cappello’s Turntablism.
Adding youthful elements to an art house often perceived as
stuffy and intimidating, “It’s a Student THING!”
blends experimental art in an experimental way. With the connection
between the performance art and the exhibit, the committee wants
all UCLA students to enjoy the Hammer’s wide-ranging
collections in a more youthful, relaxed and approachable
environment.
“There is an art connection, but if you walk around the
exhibit and are not inspired by the interaction, then our goal will
hopefully still be realized in the fact that you are having fun in
a unique, festive and exciting way,” Edwards said.
