Using a varied selection of media, two studio art students present their findings on the common bonds of humanity in an attempt to evoke the human spirit in their peers in an art exhibit on display this month.
Amanda Mucha, a studio art senior, and Gauri Salvi, a studio art and psychology senior, showcase their work in a free show in the Kachina Lounge on the second floor of the Student Union Memorial Center. A reception for the show will be held tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The student art show, "Personalysis & Noggins: Bring Yours and Come See Ours," will be open through Feb. 5 and features 21 pieces, including oil paintings, photographs, nude portraits and pen and ink drawings
The largest piece in the show - a collage Salvi created titled, "What About You?" - encompasses an entire wall and is a collaboration of photographs and words about her subjects.
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Salvi said she began large-scale work after interviewing 50 students and faculty members who described themselves to her in order to portray the similarities between humankind.
Salvi said she hopes the work motivates viewers to take a step back and think about life and its opportunities.
"The work is about taking the initiative, seizing the day. We should not be afraid to take chances, and we should not be intimidated by other people because we are more alike than we realize," Salvi said.
Salvi's six pieces were generally compiled of photographs and charcoal drawings. The majority of the show showcased 15 paintings and drawings by Mucha, which were mostly images of people.
"(I work) mostly with portraiture, either from models or self-portraits, and (strive to) express personal creativity and self-acceptance," Mucha said.
In her colorful oil on canvas painting, "The Old Neighborhood," Mucha said she tried to showcase her belief in being one's self.
Patti Kelsey, an East Asian studies freshman, has already taken notice of the show and is impressed with the work of her peers.
"The photographs and statements are truly thought provoking," Kelsey said.
Jasmine Bonner, a psychology freshman, said she was impressed with Mucha's "The Old Neighborhood."
"The painting shows raw human emotion. We don't know what the girl (in the painting) is thinking," said Bonner.
Mucha said not all of her paintings have a specific meaning, and her work is an expression of her feeling at the time, to be interpreted by the viewer.
"(The pieces) were things I felt I just needed to draw for myself. They convey the message that I am trying to create work that I am happy with, and I don't just stop where someone else tells me to," Mucha said.
Mucha said she knows a thing or two about discovering oneself since it took her years to realize her dream of being an artist. When asked about advice for aspiring artists, the Tucson native spoke of the importance of self-realization.
"It took me three years to decide between doing something that everyone thought was a practical, like architecture, and going for the unknown, impractical studio art," Mucha said.
"Work yourself to your limits, even when others think you are crazy for doing so. You won't believe how tough you really are," Mucha said.
Christina Lieberman, a senior coordinator for campus activities and curator of the gallery, said she is excited about the show and the upcoming reception.
"The reception allows the public to mingle with the artists and introduces them to the exhibit in a more in-depth manner," Lieberman said.