Beginning art students to host pop-up exhibition

For one of their final assignments of the semester, 3-D design art students are hosting a popup show in the Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art on Augusta University’s Summerville campus.

There are approximately 21 students participating in the show, each having used plaster casts of their bodies to create autobiographical sculptures.

“These are not traditional self-portraits,” explains Jennifer Onofrio, professor of Art and Humanities. “The students are trying to communicate something about themselves through the project, rather than simply create an actual likeness.”

Onofrio’s students created the art for the show, designed the invitation and will make decisions about the layout of the exhibit.

“You’re dealing with a lot of different artists, so the pieces do not look the same even though they’re using the same material,” Onofrio said. “The students are faced with the challenge of creating flow within the gallery space. The layout of the exhibition should encourage viewers to walk through the whole space rather than feel like they understand the show from the door.”

This is a valuable experience for Augusta art students, Onofrio said. They’re not just creating art for a show; they’re also learning what goes into organizing an exhibition.