A growing trend among college students is the art of detaching themselves from art in museums and galleries.

Art is supposed to be an experience that evokes emotions so it will be remembered for its unique style and quality, even if just for a brief moment.

But enjoying what others have created in our classrooms, homes and workplaces has been abandoned as we become more accustomed to our lives in the digital age.

Art is not meant to be mundane or following the same path as other artists.

Most art is meant to have a purpose so we can form our own opinions and understand the true story behind a piece of work.

We are always looking for new ways to express ourselves whether it’s in the type of clothing we wear or the new gadget we bought.

And while artists are not the same, they try to emulate and evolve the styles of past innovators like Picasso, Pollack and Warhol.

Recently traveling to the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Jacksonville, I was amazed to see a new type of art that had evolved beyond the traditional medium of paint and canvas.

Ultra-realistic human sculptures – down to the last possible minute detail – were on display by artist Marc Sijan.

Sijan took plaster casts of live people and applied up to 25 coats of paint to get the right blemishes and varying tones of skin.

He then applied prosthetic pieces like hair, clothing and glasses,which provided a more realistic and approachable sculpture.

Sijian forces the viewer to look at his art in a new way – far beyond the traditional painting or sculpture.

MOCA Associate Curator Ben Thompson said what Sijan does different from other artists he tries to portray art in its most simple and natural form: ourselves.

“People become interested in seeing this high level of craftsmanship, and regardless of their age, there is no boundary to this art form,” Thompson said. “It is great for people because Sijan’s work shows the non-idealized form of a human’s imperfections and unique characteristics.

It becomes an educational tool and pays homage to the regular people.”

New ways of showing art like Sijan’s has popped up all across the world.  And art that is that unique can be experienced by walking into a gallery – even the ones here at UNF.

College students might have a better understanding and perception of the world around them through art as the world continues to develop and grow in new elaborate ways beyond anyone’s comprehension.

E-mail Chad Smith at [email protected].