Bates Gallery exhibition features artistic works influenced by a journey abroad

EU student Zofia Chrzanowska shared art she made while studying abroad on Paros Island in Greece for this week’s show in Bates Gallery. In her artist statement, Chrzanowska said, “everything you see here, aside from the ceramics, was made in Greece, carried through ferries, several airports, rolled tight on international mail carriers, all to get from one side of the world to the other.”

The gallery was full of colored pencil and pencil drawings; oil, acrylic and gouache paintings; ceramic pottery; and sketchbooks Chrzanowska kept while traveling.

In one corner of the exhibit sat a love seat next to a desk table; three sketchbooks, some pottery, a zine, and a handwritten collection of “poems, personal manifestos, and a murder ballad,” titled “honey, tombs, and dreams,” sat on top of the table. On the wall behind it, vibrant portraits covered the wall.

Chrzanowska’s artist statement noted, “I want to bring forth a poetic and attentive representation of the energy in landscapes, the people I surround myself with, and the seemingly insignificant thoughts I might catch myself having.”

The sketchbooks were filled with drawings, notes, shopping lists, tickets and other souvenirs and keepsakes. A note on the table read: “I’ve kept a sketchbook/journal every day since 10th grade. When I started building this habit, I intended it to be strictly personal and hated people looking through them. Over the years, though, I grew more open to share my sketches, personal banter, silly drawing of friends ... with anyone who’d ask.”

On the other side of the room, clothes pins held a large collection of colored pencil and pencil drawings on the wall — most of the drawings were landscapes. Chrzanowska’s artist statement explained that “with nothing but a water bottle, pencil and some paper shoved in my bag, I’d walk out, pick a direction, and go.” The act of “drawing the landscape and taking notes in my sketchbooks became a way to root myself to the present, an investment for the future when the memories would inevitably start to fade.”

With only a few exhibits left this semester, stop by Bates Gallery in Loveland Hall to see next week’s featured artist.

 

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