University Museum Unveils Innovative Platform for Crafting Artworks and Knowledge
Lehigh University's Art Museum and Faculty Artistic Endeavors Advance Research
University museums, such as Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG), play a crucial role in advancing research by providing platforms for interdisciplinary inquiry, public engagement, and experiential learning. This is particularly evident in the Department of Art, Architecture and Design (AAD) at Lehigh University, where faculty art exhibitions serve as vital venues for integrating creative practice with scholarly research.
During the Spring 2020 exhibition at LUAG, faculty members from AAD showcased their interdisciplinary and research-driven artistic endeavors. The exhibition, which featured the work of 15 faculty members, reflected LUAG’s ongoing commitment to hosting faculty art shows and centennial juried exhibitions.
Professor of Practice Jason Travers and Anthony Viscardi, professor of architecture, were among the participants in the exhibition. Art historians Susan Kart and Nicholas Sawicki, as well as Deirdre Murphy, visiting assistant professor of painting and printmaking, also showcased their work.
The exhibition included an artwork named "Apparition (assembled)" created by Wesley Heiss. This piece, made from balsa wood, plastic, and glue, is on display at the university museum.
The exhibition also featured a series of conversations called "Art in Dialogue." Faculty members were paired with individuals from different fields for these discussions, which covered topics such as visual journaling, modern architecture in Catalan culture, and music and visual art. William Crow, a professor of practice in AAD and the director of LUAG, discussed with Jessecae Marsh, associate professor of psychology, how humans make meaning from visual imagery as part of "Art in Dialogue."
According to Crow, universities are committed to creating and sharing knowledge in various ways. He argues that the artistic endeavors of faculty members are a form of research in their own right. The museum, he says, serves as a platform for thinking about how knowledge gets created in multiple ways.
Stacie Brennan, LUAG’s curator of education, developed programming to showcase the interdisciplinarity of the works. She believes it is important for the Lehigh community to view faculty members in the fields of art, art history, design, and architecture as researchers.
Art historian Sawicki discussed with Michael Kramp, associate professor of English and director of Lehigh's Humanities Lab and documentary studies program, the stories that pictures tell. Amy Forsyth, associate professor of design, and Anna Chupa, professor of design, were also part of the exhibition. Peter Lusch, professor of practice, and Lucy Gans, the Louis and Jane Weinstock '36 Chair of Art and Architecture, were other faculty members in the exhibition.
Eugene Han, assistant professor of architecture, and Marilyn Jones, associate professor of design, were also participants in the exhibition. Some of the discussions from "Art in Dialogue" are posted as videos on the LUAG website.
The university museum, as per Crow, plays a significant role in the creation and sharing of knowledge. The museum's online resources and experiences are available on the LUAG@Home page. Mark Wonsidler, the curator, states that the arts involve open-ended inquiry with many questions and not necessarily clear outcomes, similar to the process of discovery. This synergy enriches academic inquiry and enhances the cultural and educational vitality of the campus and wider community.
- The Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG) supports interdisciplinary inquiry and experiential learning, contributing to the advancement of research.
- art historians Susan Kart and Nicholas Sawicki, as well as visiting assistant professor Deirdre Murphy, showcased their work at a faculty art exhibition at LUAG.
- William Crow, a professor of practice and the director of LUAG, argued that the artistic endeavors of faculty members are a form of research.
- Art historian Nicholas Sawicki had a conversation with Michael Kramp, associate professor of English, about the stories told by pictures.
- The university museum's online resources and experiences are available on the LUAG@Home page, with resources focused on education and self-development, sustainable living, and lifestyle.
- Art, design, and architecture faculty members, such as Peter Lusch, Lucy Gans, Eugene Han, and Marilyn Jones, presented their research-driven artistic endeavors at the event.
