APSU showcases contemporary, university art collections for Clarksville’s First Thursday Art Walk on March 7
By: Kara Zahn March 1, 2024
Photo: Atlanta-based artist In Kyoung Chun’s “Shared Room” exhibit features sculptures that resemble sections of a house, inviting viewers to look up and discover them.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Community art lovers can engage with two Austin Peay State University-sponsored exhibitions during Clarksville’s First Thursday Art Walk on March 7. Explore Clarksville's contemporary art hub, The New Gallery at Austin Peay, which is showcasing an exhibition by Atlanta-based artist In Kyoung Chun as part of Clarksville’s First Thursday Art Walk on March 7. Then, head to downtown Clarksville to admire an exhibition from the University’s art collection, carefully curated and set up by APSU art students at the Lorenzo Swinton Gallery.
First Stop: The New Gallery at Austin Peay
The New Gallery, located at 15 Henry St., presents "Shared Room," a solo exhibition by Atlanta-based artist In Kyoung Chun. Chun's work explores personal and narrative spaces through the arrangement of simple forms and familiar objects in painting and sculpture. As a South Korean immigrant facing challenges in the United States, Chun aims to create spaces that evoke positive energy and intimacy, reflecting life's optimism and peace even in troubled environments.
“We treat each exhibit installation differently to give the viewer a unique experience when visiting The New Gallery, but this exhibition is unlike others we have installed," said Michael Dickins, director of The New Gallery. “Designed to give the viewer an experience not customary when viewing works of art, we are installing her sculptures from the ceiling, so the viewers have to look up and discover the work.”
The sculptures in the exhibit resemble sections of a house, accentuating Chun’s belief that channeling discovery and recognizing sweetness in her everyday life is essential.
“We invite the viewers to look up — or lie on the floor — and think about what makes home for them,” Dickins said.
Photo: Art history major Mai Mai Newberry works to install UNCOVERED, an exhibit highlighting pieces from the Austin Peay Art Collection, in the Lorenzo Swinton Gallery.
Second Stop: Lorenzo Swinton Gallery
APSU Department of Art + Design students have curated and installed an exhibition titled UNCOVERED from the Austin Peay Art Collection in the Lorenzo Swinton Gallery, located at 106 N. Second St., which will also be available during the First Thursday Art Walk on March 7.
Though the Austin Peay Art Collection is accessible to the public, participating in the First Thursday Art Walk is a way to raise awareness of what it has to offer. As specific works can be overlooked within an approximately 3,500-piece art collection, UNCOVERED highlights some of the department’s favorite selections.
Art history major Mai Mai Newberry and studio art major Lily Goodowens, who serve as gallery assistants for The New Gallery, have worked alongside Dickins and Swinton to bring a meaningful experience and encounter with the visual arts to the local community.
While some pieces selected for UNCOVERED are works driven by content, others focus on the formal principles of design. This combination can spawn unexpected dialogues between the pieces and change their intended meanings. The curators hope for viewers to seek out those connections and spark conversations within themselves.
“I am so very grateful for the opportunities I have been given, both with working in Austin Peay’s permanent collection and being able to co-curate this exhibit,” Newberry said. “As an art major at Austin Peay, being exposed to the artwork we have in the collection is amazing; every piece has inspired me. I am happy I was able to pick some pieces that spoke to me so they can speak to others in this exhibit. This opportunity has helped me grow my experience, and I am thankful for it.”
Goodowens had similar thoughts about co-curating the exhibit, which provided a transformative educational experience.
“Having the opportunity to collaborate with the Lorenzo Swinton Gallery and showcase artwork from Austin Peay’s permanent art collection for our exhibit, UNCOVERED has changed the way I view my work both as a gallery assistant and art student,” Goodowens said. “As an assistant for The New Gallery, I sincerely value the diverse range of artists and communities that this position connects me with. Working together to curate this exhibit has given me a new level of confidence and a deeper appreciation for the processes that go into creating these meaningful experiences.”
For those unable to visit either gallery on March 7, the “Shared Room” exhibition is open now until March 22 at The New Gallery, which operates from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays - Fridays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.
In addition to the exhibition, events include an artist lecture by In Kyoung Chun at 6 p.m. on March 12 and a reception with a gallery talk at noon on March 13. All events are free and open to the public, thanks to the sponsorship of the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts.
The exhibition UNCOVERED will be displayed at the Lorenzo Swinton Gallery until March 30, 2024.