Snow College Art Gallery

 

ON VIEW: 

 

The Power of Emptiness:
Head Studies by Hagen Haltern

Exhibition Dates: October 22 – December 14
Opening Reception: Friday, October 26, 6-8 pm 

The world (suffering from “horror vacui”) does not perceive the humble and lowly vacuum as a highly refined tool or instrument. Emptiness is seen usually as a deficiency, a badge of shame, is seen as a repulsive open sore, a terrible wound one turns away from.

As a young artist, Hagen Haltern's artistic path resembled that of a young Joseph Smith's search for divine revelation regarding a true church. Both young men searched for a divinely guided unity that seemed beyond the grasp of the various religious sects / artistic movements of their times. Joseph's path led him to a grove of trees in a state of emptiness that comes of complete humility. Hagen's search for an all-encompassing style of art (described by Kurt Schwitters as "Universal MERZ-Art, to combine all forms of art into one artistic unity) led him to a similar state of humility, like an empty vacuum on the verge of a divine filling.

These head studies represent many years of dedicated searching and creating. Hagen's process involved the use of traditional as well as inventive techniques. His compulsion to create these drawings filled his kitchen table and countertops constantly with drawings in various states of completion. These drawings represent a transcendent view of the human condition. They are portraits of emptiness and humility, of power and divinity. They pull strength from both Hagen's refined skill as a figurative draftsman and the spontaneous chaos at play between pen, ink, water, spit and heat from a microwave oven.

In a way, these small studies combine to form a unifying self-portrait of Hagen himself, ecompassing both the searching emptiness of his youthful style and the transendent, light-infused style of his later years. They are a portrait of the artist as a man who wields artistic power through humility and emptiness combined with bold dedication and sacrifice.

 

 

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS: 

Jaclyn Wright

Exhibition Dates: January 25 – March 8, 2019
Opening Reception: Friday January 25, 7-9 pm 

 

Artists in Residence/Works in Progress

Snow College Visual Arts Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition
Exhibition Dates: March 29 – May 1, 2019
Opening Reception: Friday March 29, 6-8 pm

 

 

The Snow College Art Gallery advances the arts through the annual exhibition of diverse works. The gallery is a vital resource for teacher, student, and community – it is our visual library. It is a training ground for critique, creative imagination, and discussion and it serves as a bridge to the arts outside the boundaries of our campus while promoting artistic dialog among peers. The gallery annually showcases Artists in Residence/Works in Progress, a juried exhibition of student work and a bi-annual faculty exhibition, in addition to national solo and group shows. The Snow College Art Gallery houses and maintains the Snow College Permanent Collection, including the Lund-Wassmer Collection, works donated by patrons, and new acquisitions.  All exhibitions and events are free and open to the public.

 

Gallery Specs

Please review the gallery specs for information on the size and layout of the space.