Friday, May 4, 2007
The sound of international music, the smell of catered snacks and the promise of a free T-shirt lured a soulful crowd to the Spencer Art Museum on Thursday night. The party was the museum’s student night, an event held every year.
Jon Simon, Lenexa sophomore, and Cassie Sines, Linwood senior, sit in a room adorned by african art. The exhibit was titled "A Saint in the City: Sufi Arts of Urban Senegal.
KJHK kept the turntables spinning with “cross cultural jazz and soul” played loudly over speakers while students mingled, explored the exhibits, ate nachos and sipped on iced tea.
“Travel the art world,” the theme of the party, showcased exhibits in Asia, Europe and Africa. The newest addition to the museum, the 20/21 Gallery is still under construction. The curators of the night previewed the new exhibit by showing videos of international artists.
“We chose about 10,000 of 20,000 pieces of art to be in the 20/21 Gallery,” Graf said. “We even had an impartial artist come from New York to help with the exhibit.”
Sally Birmingham, Spring Hill junior, said she’s not a stranger to the museum.
“I’ve been here for lots of things, like openings and lectures,” Birmingham said. “I think if events like this bring in more students than would normally come, then it’s a success.”
That was the goal for the Spencer Student Advisory Board. Megan Graf, St. Louis senior and volunteer for the Board, said the point of holding events like student night was to attract students who normally wouldn’t visit the museum.
Kim Brook, president of the Student Advisory Board, said the museum strived to reach the University campus to attract them to things like lectures and gallery openings. The student night and party was one effective way to do this.
“We’d like to make the Spencer a second home to students,” Graf said. “We want students to know we are accessible.”
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That was the goal for the Spencer Student Advisory Board. Megan Graf, St. Louis senior and volunteer for the Board, said the point of holding events like student night was to attract students who normally wouldn’t visit the museum.
Graf said the low number of classes offered in the museum and its out-of-the-way location were reasons why few students visited. She said she didn’t think people realized how many pieces of art the museum has, estimating there to be “tens of thousands” of pieces.
“The only classes here are art history classes,” Graf said. “Students who come are art history students.”
The 20/21 Gallery is slated to open in July.
Kansan staff writer Bethany Bunch can be contacted at bbunch@kansan.com.
— Edited by Will McCullough
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Comments
JEnsley (anonymous) says...
Great article and photo! And I know it's a small point, but we didn't have "nachos". The theme was world travel, so we had pita bread, plantain chips, red-red dip, and yes, tortilla chips just in case. It was a great night and thanks to all the students who came out!
May 4, 2007 at 3:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Wifi (anonymous) says...
Another small point-- Shouldn't African art be capitalised? Or, better yet, be identified as Islamic art?
Here's hoping the KJHK dj's spun Muslimgauze... consider it requested otherwise!
May 6, 2007 at 4:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )