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The Center Art Gallery moved from Spoelhof to the CFAC, hosting a Grand Opening last Thursday evening. (Photo by Joel Zwart) |
The opening of the Center Art Gallery in the Covenant Fine Arts Center (CFAC) marks a new era of art at Calvin, one in which art is more visible, accessible, and integrated with other faculties.
“It’s like real estate. Location, location, location. The location of the Center Art Gallery in the CFAC will increase the number of people who visit because it is near the ticket office and because of events such as Student Activities Council concerts, the January Series, the Worship Symposium, and Festival of Faith & Writing,” said Director of Exhibitions Joel Zwart.
The move to the CFAC represents a reemphasis on the integration of the arts with other departments. For example, the gallery partnered with the Fall Music Festival this past weekend to feature musicians in the gallery, integrating the visual arts and music. Also, the English department is hosting its semiannual Calvin Writers Read on Tuesday November 2 in the Center Art Gallery at 3:30.
The Center Art Gallery was located in the Spoelhof Center basement since 1974 prior to its new home in the CFAC.
In the Spoelhof Center, the art gallery trafficked about 5,000 people per year. “Unless you were looking for it, you probably wouldn’t find it,” said Zwart.
“One example of the importance of location is when the Spoelhof Café moved from the basement to the main floor of the building in 2002. People used to come down for coffee and see the gallery next to it. Our gallery experienced a 50 percent drop of attendance once the café moved upstairs,” said Zwart.
“I feel like people didn’t even know we had an art gallery. The new gallery will draw bigger exhibitions, but the biggest thing is that it will draw more people from the community because it’s more central,” said Abby Baas, a junior in the art department.
Approximately 2,500 people have visited the new Center Art Gallery in its first weekend, half of its yearly attendance in Spoelhof.
“I’m excited because this gallery is bigger—high ceilings and more spaces will allow for greater flexibility. For example, we now have space to show our permanent collection alongside other shows,” said Joel Zwart, Director of Exhibitions.
The debut show is entitled “The Humor and Wit of Pieter Bruegel the Elder,” accompanied by the permanent collection including the Dutch collection and the “Florence Portfolio.”
Calvin’s permanent collection includes over 1500 pieces that now have space to be displayed on rotation in the gallery.
“Many of the pieces in our permanent collection are displayed in other locations around Calvin, but the context of them being together allows better understanding of the art,” said Zwart.
Last Thursday at 7 p.m., a crowd of 240 people filled the new recital hall to capacity as Art Professor Luttikhuizen gave an introduction to the Peter Bruegel exhibit.
“Luttikhuizen’s lecture went beyond the surface level of Bruegel’s artwork and
explained the significance of some of the elements of the engravings, which led to a better understanding of the artwork and appreciation of what the artist does,” said John Morton, a junior who attended the lecture.
“The gallery is a showpiece for Calvin. The face of the CFAC is these spaces and a new lobby; this has the potential to springboard involvement with students, alumni, parents, and the community outside Calvin. Art is coming back into the building and it’s being more integrated with the other arts.”
The gallery’s hours are: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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