Baruch College, New York, July 31, 2020: Perhaps because of its reputation as a leading business school, or because of its location in the busy city of New York, many Baruch College students are unaware of the valuable art collection that lives on its campus walls.
This summer, a cohort of 18 graduate students from the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences MA Arts Administration program aimed to fix that.
Looking to Hear and Wish You Were Here are two exhibitions collaboratively curated by students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally offered in-person, the Summer 2020 Contemporary Issues in Curating class swiftly transitioned to an online format.
Instructed by Alaina Claire Feldman, Director and Curator of Baruch’s own Mishkin Gallery, the 2 exhibitions feature a fusion of photographic, lithographic, and painted works from notable artists of the 20th century including Shusaku Arakawa, Myrlande Constant, Jane Dickson, and Andy Warhol. Much like the artists and their subjects, the course mainly focused on how BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled people are included (or not) by the institutions in which they are shown. 47 artworks were selected, for which each student chose 3 to write descriptive wall labels. The viewing experience is further enhanced by audio guides, which serve as an extension of the wall label in order to share each student’s personal connection to the artwork. Audio guides are also a necessary resource for those who are visually impaired.
Each work is either a representation of sound or the absence thereof (Looking to Hear), or views of New York City (Wish You Were Here). Nostalgia for a vibrant, noisy city during a time of standstill informed the exhibition titles.
When it is safe to return to campus, passersby will be able to scan QR codes next to each artwork, enabling them to interact with the work itself as well as the student-curated wall label and audio guide.
For now, the experience can be found online at:
LOOKING TO HEAR:
https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/lookingtohear/
WISH YOU WERE HERE:
https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/wishyouwerehere/
Curators:
Josey Bartlett, Jason Brown, Jess DeAngelis, Rachel Deen, Fay Duftler, Rob Maitner, Amanda McDowall, Sam Meyer, Pola Mora, Stephanie O’Brien, Kristy Pavlick, Madeline Pollis, Sara Ramsawak, Dasom Sohn, Patricia Stachowicz, Yesseña Whitfield, Tim Wroten, and Magda Zdunczyk with the support of Mishkin Gallery Director / Curator and Professor Alaina Claire Feldman
For more information, please contact: mishkingallery@baruch.cuny.edu
