Mythologies originate in the mundane and are granted narrative power through repetition, re-imagination, and devotion. While being untrue, they can be deeply powerful tools for communication. We value and propagate the stories which reinforce our beliefs and biases and form a boundary to separate acceptable narratives from more bizarre subjects. In my artwork, I attempt to chip away at this boundary and create unconventional interactions between normality and surrealism.My work prods at the formality of religion, showing how a religious myth can develop from a secular occurrence, or using religious signifiers to tell a secular story. I use demons as...
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News
Meet Brown Payne, one of the new interns on staff at the Van Every/Smith Galleries! Brown Payne is a Sophomore Art History Major at Davidson College from Nashville, Tennessee. Brown wanted to intern at the galleries because of his major and because he wanted to learn more about curation and taking care of the art collection. Brown also really enjoys getting the opportunity to spend more time in the VAC. Learn more about Brown: Who is your favorite artist? “My favorite artist right now is Robert Gober because of his simple reconstructions of everyday objects that are sort of silly...
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William Tucker (British, b. 1935)Homage to Rodin, 1999BronzeGift of the Class of 1993 At first glance, Homage to Rodin seems to be just a lumpy bronze boulder sitting on a pedestal with signs of oxidation from years of enduring the elements. This is an accurate and fitting description for what was an intentional decision by the artist to allow the green patina to accrue on the sculpture's surface. I think Tucker allows the sculpture to endure changes to its appearance because he intended for the meaning to be derived from the process of creating, not just the final product. This...
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Unshadowed Land by Nicholas Galanin is an outdoor sculpture exhibition on the Belk Visual Arts Center’s lawn that was created during the 2021 fall semester by students, staff, and community members. The sculpture is a site of exposed soil in the shape of the shadow of the monument of Andrew Jackson that is currently standing in Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. On February 10, 2022, community members, students, staff, and members of the Catawba Nation came together to take the next step for the installation: amending the soil. The next goal is to transition the site into a garden, planting Catawba...
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While working on a small farm in Ferrum, Virginia last summer, I consumed solely organic products and foods, and immersed myself in the land through regenerative agriculture and sustainable land practices. This fundamentally altered the way I interpreted my artistic practice and ignited a switch in my material choices from paint and digital collages to eggshells, flour paste, and reused paper towels. Now composed of mostly biodegradable and organic materials, my most recent work explores themes of accumulation, sustainability, and a greater sense of connection with the earth. All in One Basket is a journey of my transformation in material...
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