Each spring, students are asked to submit pieces of their art for a chance to be featured at the juried exhibition. A select few are chosen by both the faculty and the juror to be displayed.

Jamie Platt, the gallery director for Marshall’s Visual Arts Department, said that what makes exhibitions like this one so important and unique is because of the stories they tell.

“This year, students had to stretch themselves in ways no one could have predicted due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Platt said. “Working with limited access to resources amid all the usual stressors plus pandemic stressors, these artists leaned in and found ways to persevere and make excellent work.”

Platt said that art is important as it always tells us a great deal about the socio-political climate of our time and that this show displays one that is explicitly unique to us.

In a student juried exhibition, about four pieces of works are selected by an outside juror, and four more pieces are selected as faculty favorites.

This edition of the exhibition contains eight pieces in total, four selected by the guest juror and four selected by the faculty members themselves.

Among the pieces present in the exhibition is a sculpture called “Concussion” by art student Santi Rose. Rose’s sculpture relates to his experiences playing sports during the years of his youth. Rose said that because this is his first time submitting a piece like this, he feels both anxious and excited.

“To be honest, I wasn’t going to put my piece in there, to begin with,” Rose said. “But my professor, Mat, encouraged me to do it, so I thought why not, and even though it was nerve-wracking, it motivated me.”

Platt said that mostly, she hopes that everyone is able to come out to see it and allow themselves to both experience and be impacted by the exhibition.

“I really hope that people look at the wild variety of art on display and be inspired to try out their own creative ideas,” Platt said.

The exhibition will be open from March 22-April 2 in the Birke Art Gallery in Smith Hall.

Miranda Valles can be contacted at [email protected].