Hallie Ford Museum of Art features the art of senior studio art majors and visiting assistant professor Ranran Fan
Each spring, the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University, pairs its annual senior studio art majors exhibition with a small solo exhibition of recent work by one of the permanent, adjunct, or visiting faculty members in the studio art department. The purpose of the exhibitions are to demonstrate the continuing connection and relationship between student and faculty research.
This year’s senior studio art majors exhibition, “Character Development,” features the work of seven senior art studio students, while the faculty exhibition, “Ranran Fan: 上天入地 Ends of the Earth,” focuses on recent work by visiting assistant professor Ranran Fan (Chinese, born 1988). The exhibitions open April 15 and continue through May 20 in the Melvin Henderson-Rubio Gallery and the Atrium Gallery, respectively.
Character Development
“Character Development” is an exhibition of work by senior studio art students at Willamette that is characterized by a variety of styles and approaches and includes sculpture, painting, printmaking, and mixed media installations. This year’s senior art studio students include Jonathan Bury (Chesapeake Beach, MD), Jzo Haigerty (Portland, OR), Cate Leach (Tucson, AZ), Emily A. Lipp (Orinda, CA), Claire Elizabeth Monahan (Salem, OR), Laurel Schmidt (Redmond, WA), and Parker Sullivan Jones (Portland, OR).
As a special feature, the current group of seniors will discuss their work as part of two complimentary Tuesday gallery talks at 12:30 p.m. at the museum on April 18 and April 25.
Ranran Fan: 上天入地 Ends of the Earth
Ranran Fan is a visiting assistant professor of photography and 4D art. Born and raised in China, she was educated at Hong Kong Baptist University, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the University of New Mexico.
Fan’s exhibition invites viewers to explore both the physical aspects of the installation, as well as a hidden augmented reality that can be viewed with an iPad, as they navigate through the exhibition. “上天入地 Ends of the Earth” represents what the artist describes as “a metaphorical spell-casting ceremony” designed to gather energy to treat traumas, restore mental health, and fight against oppressions. It also provides an alternative spatial and temporal dimension to contemplate death. Fan says, “This is where I find alternative solutions and a path to walk out of predicaments and desperation.”
A complimentary lecture with Fan will be held on April 14 at 5 p.m. at the Paulus Lecture Hall at the Willamette University College of Law at 245 Winter St. At 6:51 p.m. Fan and several students will give a performance in the Atrium Gallery at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. A complimentary Tuesday gallery talk with the artist will take place on May 2 at 12:30 p.m.
Financial Support
Financial support for these exhibitions has been provided by general operating support grants from the City of Salem’s Transient Occupancy Tax funds and the Oregon Arts Commission.
Public Website for the Exhibitions
- “Character Development” – willamette.edu/go/character-development
- “Ranran Fan: 上天入地 Ends Of The Earth” – willamette.edu/go/ranran-fan
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