“Peristeronic,” a group exhibition celebrating the work of 10 Art Theory and Practice seniors, was conceived and created in the basement of Kresge Hall before opening at Dittmar Gallery May 22.
The exhibition’s name means “of or relating to pigeons.” Weinberg senior Isabella Bartling said she was the one to initially pitch it to the rest of the cohort. She was looking at a list of “big words” and “peristeronic” caught her attention, she said.
The 10 artists responded positively to the idea and ultimately decided to use the uncommon word as the title of their show, which features artworks including paintings, photographs, weaves, prints, videos and installations.
The students featured in the show were Bartling, Communication senior Lulu Abathra, Weinberg senior Alex Bremauntz, Weinberg senior Quentin Colson, Weinberg senior Helaina Harris, Weinberg senior Maggie Musgrave, Weinberg senior Lucie Paul, Natalia Tapia Moreno, Weinberg senior Grace Wang and Communications senior Julianne Zane.
The seniors put together the show as part of the Art 360-0 course, Senior Critique. Weinberg senior Lucie Paul said the class helped form bonds among the cohort. She said that they spend a lot of time together almost every day, whether in the studio working on their art or participating in a Dungeons & Dragons group together on the weekends.
Weinberg senior Alex Bremauntz said that because it is such a small program, they always felt supported. The whole department wants each artist to succeed, they said.
The course also involves critiques of each other’s art, which Weinberg senior Natalia Tapia Moreno said helped strengthen the bonds within the group.
At the beginning of the course, Bartling said that critiques were known to be “the most hated day.” However, by the end of the course, she said she looked forward to critiques of her art. She credited this to art Prof. Lane Relyea, who taught the course.
“I don’t really know what changed, but I know I owe it to him, or at least how he experiences art critique and his zest for it,” Bartling said.
Communication senior Lulu Abathra appreciated the shared studio space with her peers.
“It’s so nice to be in a cohort of people who are just making things,” Abathra said. “It’s such a safe space to experiment and play.”
Abathra also said that no one in the cohort is tied to a single medium of art. This freedom was reflected in the variety of work in the exhibition.
One of Bartling’s works was a painting that combined fish eggs and a tank top that she had seen but didn’t end up buying on Depop, she said. Tapia Moreno created two fabric weaves: one to represent her journey as an international student and one to represent a concentration camp in Mexico, she said. One of Abathra’s featured works was a video performance in which she wrapped herself in a white cloth and rolled down Deering Meadow for a couple of hours, she said.
These works, along with others by the cohort, were displayed in a gallery that the artists themselves set up. Several of the featured artists have never had their art in an exhibition like this one. Paul said that she has sold her art but never exhibited it.
Bremauntz said that they were supposed to have a senior show in high school, but it didn’t happen due to COVID-19. They said that this exhibition felt like a recognition for all of the art and work they have done.
“It was definitely very stressful, but really exciting to feel like everyone wanted to put their best foot forward and showcase everyone,” Bremauntz said. “I felt really supported from all the other students and our professor.”
For Abathra, the best part of the exhibition was hearing from the people who came to see all of the art. Each person brought their own experiences to their work, and it was fun to hear what they thought about it, she said.
“It didn’t feel necessarily like the end. It felt like the climax,” Abathra said. “There’s still so much to our story left, and I’m so very excited to see the work my cohort will keep making and the work I’ll make too.”
Clarification: This article has been updated to name all seniors who were featured in the exhibit and more accurately describe Bartling’s thoughts on critique days.
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