New UNF art exhibit encourages visitors to “Pre[serve]” nature

Sam Chaney

Photo by Sam Chaney.

UNF students and alumni alike had the final say on the current art being featured in the Lufrano Intercultural Gallery when they juried the newest exhibition, Pre[serve].

The art was inspired by the Sawmill Slough Preserve, a 382-acre nature preserve located on UNF campus, and the showcase was designed to encourage artists to visit the preserve and find their own muse in nature.

Having gone out to explore the preserve themselves, current and former UNF students created multimedia works of art to convey the impact of their personal experiences. Moreover, the artists behind the exhibit wanted those who stopped by to further contemplate the importance of conservation.

“Sanctuary” by Ricder Ricardo. Photo by Sam Chaney.

Pre[serve] is also a unique exhibit in that visitors can interact with specific pieces while viewing them.

According to information available in the Lufrano Intercultural Gallery, selected pieces in the exhibition are mapped using geolocation tools. By linking up the art through a site-specific evidentiary trail, an interactive map has been made available to enhance visitors’ experiences during the exhibition and online.

The Pre[serve] project is supported by the Cummer Family Foundation and the UNF Environmental Center.

“T. Versicolor” by Julia McBride. Photo by Sam Chaney.

The exhibit will be on display through April 27, 2018 in the Lufrano Intercultural Gallery, located on the second floor of the Student Union East Building.

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