News

Seen in Storage was such an exciting event because it gave students the opportunity to experience some of the remarkable works within our collection storage. Whenever I browse the racks, I feel incredibly privileged to study each piece up close. I am so glad that other students were able to discover this hidden part of our campus. Here is a sampling of the brief presentations by gallery interns. Henry Gasser, Venetian Afternoon, Watercolor on paper, 9.75 x 7.75 in., Gift of John A. Welsh, III '59 I chose Venetian Afternoon, a watercolor on paper by Henry Gasser. My grandfather recently...

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the final Davidson National Print and Drawing Competition—an event that once brought some of the most compelling contemporary works on paper to Davidson College—the Galleries invite submissions from contemporary artists who incorporate different forms of printmaking and drawing into their work of any media. This exhibition honors the legacy of the competition, organized by Herb Jackson ’67, which relied on important contemporary art world figures as jurors, such as Marcia Tucker and Clement Greenberg. Through the competition, the college acquired more than 50 works for the Permanent Art Collection. Process and Exhibition Details:...

Leopold Hugo (American, 1863-1933) UntitledBromoil print6 x 7.75 in.Gift of John Waggoner Like many people at the beginning of a new semester, I set out with ambitious plans to decorate my room. However, my enthusiasm quickly turned against me. I crowded my wall with so many things that it began to feel overwhelming, almost chaotic. Now I am so embarrassed by the result that I have decided not to include a photo of it here. Because my wall was already so cluttered, I began looking for something small and simple, a black-and-white landscape photograph that would not compete for attention. That...

Alex Katz (American, b. 1927)Double Portrait, 1963Lithograph on paper16.575 x 20.875 in.Gift of Jules Sherman Family Although this piece is small and simple, it was my first choice from the ArtMate program. Many people might wonder why I chose a work without color instead of something more aesthetically pleasing or famous, such as a piece by Warhol, Dalí, or Miró. I first encountered Alex Katz’s work four years ago at his solo exhibition at the Guggenheim in New York. I was drawn to the simplicity and bold colors of his cut-out portraits, and I found his style both unique and...

On view: May 1-7, 2026 Reception: Wednesday, May 6, 4:30-5:30 P.M. Artist Statement: Luminous Residues traces the quiet transformations in nature—how color, light, and form dissolve into one another like reflections of flowers in a mirror or the moon upon water. Through abstract paintings and irregularly shaped canvases, the works explore the tension between serenity and dissolution, allowing pigments to bleed and surfaces to erode until only traces of once-whole images remain. These works meditate on impermanence and memory, holding onto fleeting beauty as it fades, like luminous residue left by passing time.Luminous Residues traces the quiet transformations in nature—how color,...