At the beginning of each spring semester, the Visual Arts Department at Concord Academy extends an invitation to the campus community for the Fall Art Show, a celebration of student artworks produced during studio courses from the first semester. This year, following three virtual showings due to the pandemic, the beloved tradition made its momentous return. For the first time in two years, the hallways of the Math and Arts Center (MAC) were fully packed with curious eyes exploring and engaging with the various mediums of student artwork placed on display. The once vacant walls became exhibit surfaces filled with drawings, paintings, photographs, posters, and fiber art embroideries; a diverse array of ceramic works sat on elevated platforms; sculptures of considerable sizes hung from ceilings, altogether forming an animate gallery space easily accessible for the community’s viewing.
Among the copious amounts of captivating artwork, several pieces immediately caught my attention. One of them, I later learned, was a sculpture piece created by Owen O’Malley ’24 named “The Cups.” In Owen’s sculpture class, students were given the opportunity to explore hands-on sculpture-making through various projects and independent ventures. For his exhibited piece, Owen said, “I wanted to see the limit of what was possible to do for myself.” He decidedly asked himself the question, “Can I create something that can expand from the floor to the ceiling?” With the support of the dining hall staff’s generous supply of plastic cups, Owen was able to successfully design, build, and install his artwork into the MAC hallway. The mesmerizing shapes, translucence, as well as the sheer height of his sculpture firmly gripped the interest of many students. Owen’s piece and many other brilliant pieces of student artwork are presently on display in the MAC galley. When free time arises, be sure to take a stroll through the MAC to set your deliberate attention onto some of these pieces––perhaps you will unexpectedly discover something intriguing.
Overall, the Fall Art Show was an exciting opportunity to bring out CA artists’ work beyond the studio for the community’s engagement, and the event was well-perceived by students. As the new semester launches in full gear, we can look forward to seeing current visual art students present their work at the next art showcase in the Spring.