This weekend marked another celebration of the arts with Binghamton’s monthly First Friday, and at one gallery, students ran the show. Jungle Science Gallery and Art Laboratories featured the work of Binghamton University students with the “Fills and Strokes” showcase for graphic design and “Between Light and Dark” showcase for photography. Students in both departments perfected their artwork all semester, and the audience could instantly tell.
The photography on display was shot by students enrolled in Studio Art 479: Special Studio Project – Photography. Their work was displayed at the front of the gallery, while seniors concentrating in graphic design hung up their art toward the back.
Visitors enjoyed the innovative designs including work by Devin Murphy, a senior majoring in studio art, who used an Eleanor Roosevelt quote juxtaposed with a powerful image of a tattooed male smoker. Erica Buki, president of the Binghamton Student Design Agency and a senior majoring in graphic design, took famous posters of The Beatles and made them her own, integrating the band’s song lyrics and vectors into the images.
These two designers believe that the purpose of their artwork is to send a visual message through creative expression.
“Graphic design allows us to take our concepts and visually express them through design. It’s mainly used in advertisements and media for the purpose of sending a message. There are so many messages you can send,” said Harjit Kaur, a senior double-majoring in biochemistry and studio art. Kaur’s concentration is in graphic design, one of the many options along with photography offered within the studio art major.
Michael Wesko, a graphic design professor who chose the graphic design work to be displayed in tandem with his students, is proud to put art from the University into the local atmosphere. He made distinctions between graphic design and other, less holistic art forms.
“It’s very solution-based, solving problems, so it’s a littler bit different from some of the other arts. It involves typography, photography … it really encompasses a lot,” Wesko said.
Costa Sakellariou, a professor of photography, is proud of his students and glad they decided to premiere the exhibit Downtown.
“I think it’s good for people who live around here to see student art and mix it up. Jungle Science was a great space to show off the students’ work. I’m very proud of the students, and I think it’s great for people to get out of their zone and into the world to see what’s out there,” Sakellariou said.
The graphic design work was on display through Sunday night, while the photography will be on display all month and is available for purchase. And the timing couldn’t have been better, since December is the biggest month for First Friday according to Katherine Perry, the gallery’s creative director. In February, the exhibition will be moved to the Rosefsky Gallery in the Fine Arts Building so that students on campus can admire the artwork and talent of their peers.
Pipe Dream Managing Editor Paige Nazinitsky and Assistant Design Manager Cari Snider, who both had work displayed in Friday’s show, did not participate in the writing or editing of this article.