Fashion, Form & Photography

Zirkle House hosts three new senior art exhibits

Casey Templeton / staff photographer Senior Kara Bigelman's exhibit, titled "Fragmentation in Portraiture" draws viewers in for a closer look at its dramatically shadowed photographs.

Zirkle House doesn’t shy away from differences. Tuesday, Zirkle hosted an opening reception for exhibits by three senior art students — Erin McSorley, Paul Chapmn and Kara Bigelman.

McSorley’s piece, "Craft = Art = Fashion," is displayed in the Artworks Gallery The exhibit blends painting and screen printing with fashion design. While Gwen Stefani croons in the background, observers view retro-style outfits and accessories as well as McSorley’s paintings displayed on the walls. The artist uses boldly colored fabrics and juxtaposes them with paintings. Using fabric as her canvas, McSorley depicts both images and textural elements. The three-piece "Matrimonial" reveals a sliver of the artist’s personal life, as McSorley is busy planning her upcoming wedding.

"Art and fashion don’t normally relate, but here they do," McSorely said. "I’m much more influenced by fashion designers than I am by painters or other types of artists."

In the Madison Gallery, Chapman displays his exhibit, titled "One Word." At a recent family reunion, Chapman asked family members to choose one word that accurately described them, and to write it on a piece of paper. Chapman then photographed them holding up the paper. With words like "menopausal," "dramatic," and "alive,"viewers are introduced to Chapman’s vastly different subjects.

Chapman chose to display his photographs in an original way. His photographs are suspended from the ceiling, so the viewer is required to circle the front and back of the pictures in their frames to view the exhibit in its entirety.

Chapman also asks that viewers think about which word they would choose for themselves. "Some people in my photographs took quite a long time to think of their words, and some people shouted out words for others.," Chapman said. "It’s about self-expression. I’m really interested in the human condition."

The Other Gallery showcases Bigelman’s photography display. Bigelman uses dramatic shadowing to highlight parts of the human form in her exhibit, titled "A Fragmentation in portraiture." Her photographs capture people from ages one to 89, and we see the beauty of the human aging process through her work.

"I chose to print in a small size so that the viewer is forced to get close to the print and spend time noticing the details and shapes." Bigelman said in her artist’s statement. "I used my family and friends as subjects. Photography is really a passion of mine, and I use all of my free electives taking photography classes."

Also on display at the gallery is a piece by professional photographer Alyssa Salomon entitled "Acts of Light," which will run until Feb. 23. The artist will lecture on Jan. 31 in Duke 240 at 3:35 p.m.