all that

Rice Gallery Winter Exhibitions

all that, the 39th Rice Student Art Exhibition, introduced the public and the Rice community to the work of 25 seniors graduating in studio art. The exhibition presented work in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, installation, printmaking, fashion design, photography, film, and video. The festive opening celebration at Rice Gallery featured performances by Rice Dance Theatre and Rice Players, treating viewers to a wide range of Rice students’ most creative offerings.

Working with guest curator and artist Patricia Hernandez ’89, the students in all that selected works that best represented their artistic achievement and creative expression at Rice. “I was genuinely thrilled when asked to curate this year’s student exhibition,” said Hernandez. “I had a chance to revisit my own experience as a developing artist at Rice and also to meet with a very talented group of young people whose works reflect an ambitious artistic energy.” Many of the works in the exhibition were for sale, and Hernandez recalled that the first sale of her own work occurred during her participation in the student show 13 years ago.

The title of the exhibition, all that, captured the diversity of approaches students took in their work. As a street expression meaning “in possession of all good qualities,” it also conveyed the sense of adventure and positive energy that accompanied this transitional moment in these young artists’ careers and the divergent paths that await them as new graduates.

When the students were asked to contribute brief artist’s statements to offer context for their work, many commented on the joy they took in the creative process and on their desire to make art that was fresh and original. Matt Connolly ’02, who showed a video, wrote, “Art doesn’t have to be boring. Art is anything that can inspire emotion—laughter and happiness are acceptable. And if it also happens to rock your socks off? Bonus.”

Lauren Bartel ’02, who showed a series of photogravures, wrote, “Art has always meant to me…experiment and pleasure. Because the process of art is so perpetual and captivating, it will never become tedious.”

The showcase of Rice student art continued at two additional locations on campus. At the Rice Media Center, works selected by studio art faculty from undergraduate courses in photography, film, sculpture, and printmaking were on display. In the art studios of Sewall Hall, students staged a salon des refusés of works in painting and drawing. Together, all of these sites presented a comprehensive and exciting survey of student artwork at Rice.

—Maria Stalford