‘Representation and Figuration in the Maslow Gallery’ is the newest exhibition curated by Marywood alumnae Marcelle Reinecke. Reinecke was inspired by the relationship between her own work not only visually but also in relation to historical references to those that are in the Maslow Collection.
After completing her bachelor of fine arts (BFA) from Marywood University, Reinecke pursued a master of fine arts from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where she studied alongside Ryan Ward, Marywood’s curator of the Maslow Collection.
“She hasn’t done a lot of curation [before]… this was actually a new animal for her when I invited her to do this,” said Ward.
Reinecke’s painting career took off about a year and a half ago when she started to gain recognition by galleries mostly in New York City.
“In a very short amount of time, a lot of galleries became interested in her work and showing her work,” explained Ward. “So, this is a prime time to kind of bring her back and highlight her as an alumna.”
Curation typically includes looking at references in one’s own work or art and recognizing what similarities lie in the art that is being chosen for display. According to Ward, there’s no specific recipe for choosing pieces of art, but it is through the lens in which Reinecke compared her own work to the work of others within the Maslow Collection that the exhibition’s theme unfolded.
“These heads, these portraits, these figures… are they idealized or stylized in her way, in her Marcelle Reinecke way, or is she looking at a source of reference and really translating that more directly, or is there a combination?” asked Ward.
Stephen Garrison, Marywood’s Art Department program coordinator, acknowledges the significance of having an on-campus gallery for students, faculty and staff to interact with and constantly learn from.
“When it does shift out, you never know what might be shown. [Previous to this show], there’s a few pieces that either haven’t been shown in quite some time or haven’t been shown maybe ever at Marywood,” said Garrison. “The collection itself is so vast that there’s a lot of things that we might not even realize are in there at the moment.”
The art department strives to support and stay connected with alumni like Reinecke to create interactions and experiences similar to this. Not only do students bear witness to how graduates are – or aren’t – using their degree, but alumni come back and witness the current students’ work and get to help them establish those relationships and connections early on.
The Maslow Gallery is often used within the art department as an educational and curatorial experience. Art administration students have opportunities to curate exhibitions themselves and interact with the works in ways that otherwise may not be available to them.
“It’s an opportunity that not a lot of people have or really realize that they have here to actually interact with the artwork at this scale and this proximity,” said Garrison.
Reinecke’s exhibit will run through May 30, Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on the Maslow Study Gallery for Contemporary Art, visit Marywood’s website.
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