Exhibitions at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery offer an accessible entry point into the exciting field of contemporary art. The gallery is an inclusive space and welcomes everyone to discover and enjoy the latest in art today. All events are free and open to the public.
Opening Soon...
Inter | Action
April 22 - May 9, 2024
Reception: Thursday, April 25 from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Experience design, advocacy and fantasy through the work of UIS emerging artists
The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery presents “Inter | Action,” a group exhibition featuring works by an all-women roster of five visual arts students as they prepare to transition from student artists to emerging professionals.
An opening reception will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on April 25 in the gallery, located in the UIS Health and Sciences Building, 2295 William Maxwell Lane, Springfield, Room 201. The exhibition will be open to the public until May 9.
Exhibiting artists include Sophia Britt, Cicely Flynn, Ashley Martinez Alvarez, Savannah Saltsgaver and Maxine Touchette. Each has developed speculative realities and imagined prospects through art installation – whether beautified, theatrical or hopeful for the future. They ask the audience to engage with their work by questioning the self, envisioning the possibility of other worlds, or through physical encounters and play.
The wide variety of media shown includes ceramics, found objects, acrylic painting and papier mȃché, among others. As spectators navigate the gallery’s landscape, they are invited not merely to observe, but to participate actively in a journey of self-discovery, contemplation and play, where every material choice serves as a portal to a new realm of possibility, wonder and even intrusive thoughts and guilt.
“Our collective work beckons the audience to explore diverse realms,” Saltsgaver said. “It is a collective call to the viewer, inviting all to explore the possibilities of existence through our shared artistic journey.”
Through ceramics, Britt explores human impact on biodiversity, offering poignant reflections on the consequences of overconsumption. Flynn seamlessly blends functionality with the timeless allure of Scandinavian design, infusing her work with both aesthetic elegance and practicality. Martinez invents portals to new worlds through found objects and painting, conveying personal narratives. Saltsgaver reimagines her childhood perennial garden through the vibrant lens of pop culture, infusing nostalgia with contemporary vibrancy. Touchette’s paintings serve as poignant reminders of the fragility of human existence, pleading for introspection and growth amidst the ruins of her homes.