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Art exhibits at IU to explore characteristics of beauty
Sept. 27, 1999
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- "Defining Beauty: A Local Perspective" and "Beauty Beyond Language: Paintings by Rosalyn Schwartz" will be on display Oct. 15 through Nov. 24 at Indiana University's School of Fine Arts (SoFA) Gallery. In conjunction with the exhibit, art critic and writer Donald Kuspit will present a lecture titled "The Psychoanalytic Construction of Beauty" on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. in Fine Arts Room 015. All events are free and open to the public.
In presenting these exhibits together, the SoFA Gallery is attempting to analyze the significance and connotations of beauty, reveal differences in individual perceptions of beauty, and offer insight into both historical and contemporary art. In addition, these explorations might help in understanding the role that beauty plays in determining whether art is considered good, successful or valuable.
For "Defining Beauty," SoFA invited more than 75 people from the local community, including Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez, to select a piece of visual art they believe is the most beautiful. Each person also wrote a short explanation of their selection and why they feel it defines beauty. The exhibit includes original paintings, sculptures, craft objects and some items not traditionally classified as art.
"Beauty Beyond Language" represents artist Rosalyn Schwartz's interest in the seductive power of painting -- the density of color, the way a line or shape is poised, and the texture of the painted surface. Her exhibit features 15 large-scale canvases, with a concentration on her most recent abstract work. Layered symmetrical patterns define the outer edges of her canvases, while the centers have an almost transcendent presence. Schwartz's work has been shown nationally, and she has been reviewed in professional journals such as ArtForum and Art in America. She is currently an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
(Betsy Stirratt, 812 855-8490, stirrat@indiana.edu or Jen McCormick, 812-855-5393, jenmccor@indiana.edu)