Take on the Divine and Monstrous
By Asha Godfrey ’14
On Friday, September 16, the new art exhibition entitled Gods and Monsters: Images of Faith and Horror was unveiled with an opening reception in Pannell Gallery. Presenting works dating from 1425 to 2000 of prints, watercolors, sculptures, and manuscripts, the exhibition of 52 works features a kaleidoscope of different periods and mediums to complement its already rich examination of both the monstrous and divine.
Students enjoy the new Gods and Monsters Exhibit in Pannell Gallery. The Exhibit will be on display until Dec. 9. Photo by Jesse Schaaf ‘15
Sweet Briar’s own Art Collection and Galleries director and curator Karol Lawson crafted Gods and Monsters after being inspired by a collection of 16 woodcut prints by German artist Renate Geisberg. The portfolio of these works was a gift to Sweet Briar from the late Jennifer Crispen, associate professor of physical education and field hockey coach of over 30 years. “Geisberg’s portfolio proved to be such a powerful work,” Lawson states, adding, “It began to speak to me of monsters and things that go bump in the night.” Lawson then began to compare the monstrous pieces of Geisburg’s portfolio to works of “angels, saints, and other benevolent beings” already featured in Sweet Briar’s gallery. Thus, she began constructing the spinal column of Gods and Monsters: “The poles of human experience, from evil to goodness, and… the many ways in which humanity has coped with the fearsome and the joyous across the ages.”
Stepping into Pannell Gallery, self-proclaimed art snob Ebony Goines ’14 first noticed a multicolored sculpture in the sea of mostly black and white pieces of the Gods and Monsters exhibition. “I just love this one,” she said pointing to Deb Mell’s sculpture titled The Seer. Alongside this sculpture are prints of other tribal-esque works, preceded by pieces featuring the benevolent beings of Greek gods and goddesses and Christ. On the opposite side of the gallery, works showcasing the monstrous of over a 500 year period blanket the wall. Lawson explains that “the monstrous is represented by images of revolt and war, death, and racism.”
The Gods and Monsters exhibition will be featured in Pannell Gallery until December 9. It can be visited during the gallery’s weekly hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. A complementary event, An Evening of Monstrous Performance, featuring students and professors from the Division of Performing Arts is to be held on October 21 at 7:30 p.m. in light of the exhibition.
For more information call (434) 381-6248 or email curator Karol Lawson at klawson@sbc.edu.
Contact Asha Godfrey at godfrey14@sbc.edu with any questions or comments.
